On Common Ground
by Wedjatqi
Summary: ALLIANCE FIC – COMPLETE. Things are going well for Atlantis and the Alliance, with Teyla about to start her first official stay in Atlantis as John's Political Wife, but forces are moving unseen – a Hive seeking vengeance, a horrific prophecy for Halling, and a Genii plot about to unfold.
1. Prologue

**Title:** On Common Ground  
 **Disclaimers** : I earn no money from this, I write only for pleasure. I own no part of the Stargate world or any quoted lines from the show. I only own the characters that I create.  
 **Spoilers** : Set in established AU world, at an equivalent time as late season 3. Please note the warnings below. This story calls heavily on the events of the previous fics in this saga and probably won't make much sense if you haven't read them.  
 **Summary** **:** ALLIANCE FIC – Things are going well for Atlantis and the Alliance, with Teyla about to start her first official stay in Atlantis as John's Political Wife, but forces are moving unseen – a Hive seeking vengeance, a horrific prophecy for Halling, and a Genii plot about to unfold.

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 **Warnings:** Established Character death, violence, deviousness, and sexual content.

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 **Note:** Hello Everyone. It has been some time since my last posting, but it has been an exceptionally busy year or so. Plus, I have been studying for, and then taking, a work exam (yay, I passed), which has taken up a great deal of my limited free time this last year. Now finally free of that exam, though I have another to start studying for next year, I finally have time to get this fic published. I have written it in its entirety, so it's just a matter of editing and posting chapters regularly – no unfinished fic here.

I want to say thank you to all those who have contacted me over the last year with queries and gentle nudges for the continuation of this series. Well, here I am. This is another big fic, so hold onto something, things are about to get interesting...

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 **Chapter 1 – Prologue**

The view was spectacular. Swirls of gases hung in seeming stillness across the vastness of the vacuum. The colours, barely discernible with the human eye, glittered between the stars; flashes of ice particles and interacting gases, all dancing an elaborate existence with few living beings to ever witness them.

Peuch had been very lucky to have looked out on this same view for the last six standard yearly cycles. He started and finished each day looking out on this majestic interstellar view, and he never tired of it.

Some, which included most of his family, could not understand how he could stay on such long rotations out here, but he loved his work and the location. On the outermost edge of the galaxy, there were no planets here, the closest several days' hyperspace travel away. There was nothing in this region but fabulous nebulae and the floating asteroids passing by on their generations-long slow tumbling journey. A newly revealed supernova within sensor reach was probably the most dramatic event of late, but Peuch still loved it here.

Having graduated as one of his planet's top students in structural and systems engineering, he had had his choice of assignments, and he had chosen this. Station 1642, or 'Amduat' as its crew had named it, had been brand new then, hanging alone in this vast empty region, but it was also vitally important. The scientific research at the edge of the galaxy was fascinating, but it was the station's extraordinary sensitive sensors that made it vital for the Alliance. Away from the overlapping and widespread interference from the Alliance links network, and the various radio and energy disturbances created by highly populated planets, Amduat could detect far further than any other sensor system. It could detect hyperspace windows opening over several sectors and the distant signals of space ships even further away. Not that the Wraith had anything to draw their attention here, but occasionally the sensors detected them passing in the far distance, or the occasional Traveller ship manoeuvring close to this distant peripheral corner of Alliance territory. The station's sensor reach was still expanding as well, the technology advancing under the intelligent and passionate care of Amduat's scientific crew.

Peuch's duties were to look after Amduat itself – to maintain its structural integrity and ensure smooth running of all station systems. It was work that would not necessarily end up in a scientific book, but it kept all the crew and their sensor systems safe from the vacuum only a bulkhead or glass sheet away. That vitally important truth aside, little happened here on Amduat at any speed, instead everything moved via the slow and steady pace of the astronomical.

Which included the ability to communicate with the rest of the Alliance. Peuch turned from his wondrous view and checked the station's time display. As there was no local star to determine their days, Amduat ran via Alliance standard time, which was helpful when communicating with distant family.

Peuch crossed to his desk and sat down in front of his communication screen. Communications with even the deepest areas of the Alliance was simple via digital messages, but the vast distance and all manner of interstellar phenomena this close to the galaxy's edge could influence live link contact. It was only by having established and plotted all the known interference phenomena precisely, that a schedule of windows through to the Alliance was possible in order to establish stable live link feeds. Each crew member had small time slots allocated to them and it was almost time for his slot...

A buzz from the display lit it awake and he tapped the screen immediately, knowing every second was valuable. The live link feed would not last long.

The screen danced in static and then his Mother's face filled the view.

"Peuch!" She screamed delightfully at him, her joy in speaking with him never having dimmed in all the yearly cycles he had lived on Amduat.

"Great Mother," he grinned back at her.

She clapped her hands together in happiness. "Great Son!" She greeted him in turn and then twisted away in her seat and shouted behind her, "Peuch is on the screen!"

It was the usual routine. His Father would now be asking what she was shouting at him about.

"Peuch is on the screen!" Mother repeated her loud report and then she returned her full attention back to him. He was able to speak with them live every thirty days or so, and there was a constant flow of electronic letters to and from his family between those days. Yet, seeing his mother's reaction, one would think she had not seen or heard from him in over a year.

"Are you healthy, Great Son?" She asked, always kind and worried for him.

"Yes, Great Mother," Peuch assured her, as he did every time. "How are all the family?"

"Did you get my last message?" She demanded. "Your sister had a son. We are so happy."

"Yes, Great Mother," he assured her. He had replied to her as much at the time.

"He is so small; I could gobble him up!"

Peuch laughed.

"What?" Father could be heard calling from behind Mother.

"Your Great Son is on the screen, First Husband!" Mother shouted over her shoulder and then she leant closer to the screen and lowered her voice. "I have told your Great Father that he needs to start taking better care of his health. You must tell him too."

"Yes, Great Mother," Peuch promised obediently.

"Did you get my message about my Great Third Husband's second cousin's friend who wishes to meet you?" She continued at a normal volume.

"Great Mother," Peuch sighed, wishing his Father would speed up his appearance. "We have discussed this before; I am happy to be by himself currently."

"We never see you. When does this rotation end? When will you see your new Great Nephew?"

"Soon," Peuch promised, pleased to the sight of his Father approaching in the distance.

"Great Son!" Father exclaimed as he arrived behind Mother.

"Greetings, Great Father," Peuch grinned at his aging blood father, Mother's First Husband. "I understand your health is not so well of late?" Peuch asked, as instructed.

"Did your Great Mother tell you that?" Father asked as he leant over Mother's shoulder. "Have you told him about the cousin's friend?" He asked her.

"Yes, he says he is on rotation and does not have time for such things. Honestly, Great Son, when are we to be able to hug you again?"

Peuch smiled at his two adoring parents. "My current yearly rotation will last a further fourteen months," Peuch reminded them. "But," he considered, "I do have some extra time allowing to me for leisure time. I may be able to extend my next short break away from Amduat for a month."

Mother began clapping excitedly. "Yes! I shall tell your Great Sister; she will be thrilled. We can all go walking on the mountainside again, take your new Great Nephew to the ancestral altar and sit all together again."

Peuch nodded, his eyes glancing to the time displayed below his loving parents. The prescribed window for this link feed was nearing its end, interstellar interference likely to destabilise it soon. "We are almost out of time and I am due for the early meeting. Tell me, did you receive the annual celebration's gifts I shipped to you?"

"Yes, we have stored them aside," his mother replied. "When will your next break be taken?"

"It will not be for another three months, so I will not be there for the annual celebration."

"We understand," Great Father replied, one aged hand touching on Mother's shoulder. "We will convey your regrets and pass out your gifts to the family."

"I will speak with my Station Lead and see if I can swap with someone for a live link that day," Peuch promised. "It will depend on the schedule and interstellar conditions. I will look into it."

"Moiloi will let you," Mother nodded with confidence.

"Moiloi cannot control interstellar phenomena, Great Mother."

"She knows how important the annual celebration is to our people; Moiloi will understand," Great Father said confidently.

"I will speak to her this morning," Peuch promised. A warning light flashed. "We only have a few moments left."

"May the Ancestors walk with you each day," Great Mother stated, as always, "May they watch over you, care for you, and stand by you when you sleep."

Peuch almost said the familiar words along with her, but he didn't. "Thank you, Great Mother and Great Father. May the Ancestors walk with you both each day-"

The link feed cut off, the time complete, the scheduled link over. His parents understood, as so often their short conversations ended so abruptly.

They understood his career choices and, though he was away from his homeworld, he knew they were proud of his accomplishments. They were not so happy that he had not built up a family of his own. Most his own age had several wives or husbands by this stage of life.

It sounded like far too much work to him, and he could not dedicate enough time around his work on Amduat anyway.

Work to which he now had to return. He closed down his communication screen and gathered up his electronic pads for the early meeting and his day ahead. Stepping out into the impeccably clean station hallway from his quarters, he breathed in the soft cool air of Amduat. As he walked, he took in another deep breath and he was almost certain that he could tell that the oxygen ratio remained correct. The station's small Hydroponics Bay was working as efficiently as always.

He tapped alive one electronic pad and checked his day's planned schedule. Yes, he was due to check on the rain and light cycles in the Hydroponics Bay today. After that he and his team would run the second monthly assessment of the artificial gravity twin drives, then the back-up second rotation engine, and then run the routine check of the display panels up in the Central Station. Another full and useful day on Amduat.

He made his way up the station's main staircase up to Central Station, ensuring his pace was quick as all of the crew were encouraged to maintain good cardiovascular health while living in artificially generated gravity.

As he reached Central Station, he saw that the other two department Leads were already in the glass walled room towards the back. He was in good time for the early meeting then. As he walked in, the two looked round with their usual smiles of greeting. Moiloi, the Station's Lead, was yet to appear though, her office set off the main area of Central Station. She would be running her own morning checks.

"How is your family?" Moksa, Lead Interstellar Scientist, asked as Peuch approached the small meeting table.

"They are all well, thank you."

"Is there any news on your new nephew?" Wrana asked as he settled into his seat next to Moksa. Wrana was Lead Sensor Controller, and had worked here as long as Peuch.

"Great Mother reports the new babe is so cute that she wants to 'gobble him all up'," Peuch reported.

"Awww," Moksa grinned as she pushed the morning's fresh pot of Athosian tea towards Peuch. Moksa, being from Cador, a local neighbour to the Athosian worlds, had brought the drink onto the station with her and it had become a firm favourite among their small group of department Leads.

The three of them had worked together for almost five yearly cycles now and they were his closest friends.

"I imagine she has found another possible female for you?" Moksa asked next over her steaming cup.

"Of course," Peuch smiled as he poured his tea.

"Greetings to all," Moiloi stated as she marched into the room. "Apologies for being tardy, but did you all see the flash announcement earlier?"

Peuch had read it prior to his link feed with Mother and Father; it hadn't seemed too alarming. Newly detected readings were common enough here.

"Another possible new supernova?" Moksa suggested with clear hope.

"You don't get two new supernovae per rotation, Moksa," Wrana teased her. "You'll make the other scientists on the other stations jealous."

"They're already jealous of that last journal article," Moksa grinned. She was making more scientific advances on Amduat than most her age.

"No supernova," Moiloi confirmed as she picked up the pot of Athosian tea and poured the hot liquid into the cup she had brought in with her from her office. "Our latest theory is some sort of zero field energy."

All of them snapped their attention to their Lead as she settled down in her chair.

"Really?" Moksa asked.

Moiloi smiled as she brushed her long silver hair, gathered together in its long thick plait, back over her shoulder. She wore a silvery grey jacket over her dark red Amduat uniform. She always wore something silver or grey, those being her favourite colours, and they offset her smooth golden Vancet complexion, which was as elegant in her fifty cycle years as in any. There were many who suspected that the Ancestors had altered the genetics of those from Vancet, for almost all from their world were beautiful and handsome.

"The readings are intermittent and initiated without any precursors – at least none that we have identified so far," Moiloi reported. "The levels are inconsistent, but so low that it may not be what we think."

"Why start so suddenly?" Wrana asked out loud, as always simply brain storming his thoughts out loud.

"Perhaps something initiated it on a subspace level," Moksa considered.

"There are far more questions than answers right now," Moiloi smiled. "I have scheduled a midday meeting for all of us and sensor and science staff to gather and assess the latest readings and theories. Peuch, could you ponder further on the new sensor array extension and see if it can be installed earlier than planned?"

"I will think on it," Peuch promised, his mind already turning. If they delayed the Hydroponics system checks, then his small staff could focus on the array sooner.

"I assume your Great Parents are well?" Moiloi asked him.

"Yes, thank you," Peuch smiled at his superior.

"Good. So, other than their usual plans to marry Peuch away from us, is there anything new for this meeting regarding the day's schedule?" She asked the group.

"I was scheduled for the rebuild of the new sublight experiment," Wrana started, "but I would prefer to look at this new zero field data."

Moiloi rolled her eyes. "There is plenty of time for analysis of the new data; the others are already on it. We will all discuss the data together at the midday meeting. Until then, I suggest-"

The alarm blared so loudly that Peuch's entire body jolted and his tea slopped over the edge of his cup and splattered across the silver meeting table. In an expanding fraction of a millisecond, he watched the pool of tea expand across the table as the lights flashed into emergency setting above them, casting the light tea into dark shades.

Moiloi, Moksa, and Wrana shot up from their seats, a second ahead of Peuch as he rose, the alarm seeming unfamiliar in his shock.

"Lead Moiloi!" A voice shouted between the blares of the alarm, shouted by the technician on duty at the front of Central Station.

Moiloi was already fast on her way towards the panicked male. "What alarm is that?" Moiloi demanded and Peuch was momentarily glad that she too hadn't recognised it any quicker than he. The alarm blaring was far louder and more constant than the usual alerts, though he had heard it before among the brief weekly alarm testing.

"Collision alarm sounding," the technician supplied between the blares.

"Collision?" Moiloi asked, understandably surprised. "An asteroid?"

"Nothing physical on sensors," Wrana reported quickly. "We would have detected anything heading our way long ago."

As Peuch raced to his engineering console, set among the other lead consoles, he found himself looking out of the large front viewport out into space. He wasn't sure what he expected to see, but there was nothing observable to the eye.

He slid his hands over the screens of his console, years of experience and familiarity allowing information to flow into his mind quickly, whilst simultaneously listening as the others conversed loudly between the blaring alarms.

"Can we shut off the alarm or lower the volume?" Moiloi shouted.

Peuch tapped one screen among the many on his console, working several enquiries of the station's computer at once. "Acting on it," he reported as he worked.

"We're detecting an unknown form of radiation," Moksa shouted over the alarm. "Readings are- this can't be right?"

"The unusual radiation is increasing, location as three degrees of left anterior," Wrana yelled. "Increasing substantially."

Peuch found the alarm setting, but there was no volume setting for this alarm. He assumed there was none because of the immediacy of the alert. He made a note to look at changing that later.

"Peuch, get the rotation engines moving us away from that location as fast as you can move Amduat," Moiloi ordered him.

"Acting," he confirmed. "We are getting strange interference, but engines are firing." The vibration started immediately moving up through the deck plating under him, the abrupt and forceful emergency push from the engines overpowering the inertial dampening effects.

"The unknown radiation is increasing exponentially!" Moksa reported, worried confusion clear in her voice.

"If these readings are right there will soon be substantial damage to Amduat," Peuch reported from his screens.

A sudden violent shudder shook Central Station. Peuch fortunately had braced himself against the safety supports of his console, but he felt something ping painfully in his shoulder. He ignored it as he tapped through his screens and all of them were flashing emergency warnings.

"All systems are reporting damage," which could not be right. "I think the radiation may be triggering faults in our electrical systems," he shouted.

"The radiation is definitely penetrating the station's hull," Wrana shouted as the station shuddered again.

New flashing warnings filled Peuch's view. "I'm detecting physical damage to the left anterior array."

"What is causing it?" Moiloi asked, her eyes focused down on her Lead console. "Why are we not moving away?"

"Engines are firing, but we do not seem to be able to pull away from-" Peuch started to explain, but the rest of his report was knocked from him as Amduat rocked violently and he was thrown down towards the station's floor.

His left kneecap hit and scraped down the length of his console's support, stealing his breath with pain before he dropped onto his back on the floor. Clutching his lower leg, Peuch worked to breathe and focus on getting back up.

"By the Ancestors!" He heard Moiloi shout. "Evacuation procedures!"

Peuch scrambled to get up off the floor, his left leg mostly useless, but he grabbed hold of his console's safety supports and dragged himself upright.

His eyes instantly locked onto the view through the wide front viewport. Where usually there was the glittering spread of distant stars and a collection of tumbling asteroids, now there was the dark crushingly close hull of a ship.

It took a moment for Peuch to identify what it was.

"How?" He asked, the multiple alarms blaring, dark red lights flashing, as the Wraith Hive's hull crashed into Amduat.

In the breath before the front viewport cracked, Peuch thought of his family, of how he would not be there for the trip to the ancestral altar or to hold his new Great Nephew.

As the front of Amduat was crushed, air exploding out, Peuch could do nothing but scream his anger at how the Hive had gotten here undetected and that it was destroying his beloved station and friends.

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 _Drip..._

His focus broke slightly at the sound, but he forced his tired mind back to the connection he had lost. Drifting into the replenishing emptiness of the now rarely populated network, he breathed it into his body.

It was not hibernation, but it was as close as he could safely stray and still remain awake in the world.

Not that he was not tempted to leave it all behind.

Hunger burned hot and deep, eating away at his physical insides, but in the network, he could find some peace. He was not entirely alone there, though his distant Brother's mind felt out of reach and distressed.

He suspected he probably seemed the same to his batch Brother's mind.

 _Drip..._

Mind Song sighed at the repeated disturbance to his struggling focus, and squeezed his eyes more tightly closed.

 _Drip..._

 _Drip..._

With a frustrated growl, Mind Song's focus failed. Full awareness returned to the cold dank space around him. The floor under his knees and boots was solid, but empty of life. How long had it been since he'd felt surrounded by the living warm walls of a Hive ship?

Too long.

 _Drip..._

Why did Humans choose such cold places to hide? Nothing lived down in this prison – well, except for his captors. He had been imprisoned in various cells like this, moved at his captors' will and forced to their obedience, so that he now had no concept of how long he had been a prisoner.

All he knew for certain was the burning hunger that would be his death. That end had only been staved off so long because of the occasional small meal of a Human captor, fed to him like he was a plaything.

He sighed angrily at his distracted emotions.

If he could only properly feed; regain his strength. It had been so long since he had felt whole; felt strong.

 _Drip..._

 _Drip..._

He growled again at the continuous dripping of water in the far corner of his current cold walled prison.

There were times when the other adjoining cells were full, but not of late. He didn't even have the entertainment of listening to his fellow captive Wraith swear vengeance and death upon their captors. They always started like that when they arrived, newly captured; full of spite, sharp of claw and hand, ready to tear life out of a guard stood too close. The guards never stood too close though, and so many Wraith had wasted hours waiting for a small chance of a snatched meal.

All of those others were gone; all had been killed. Now he remained, alone and starving.

Mind Song wasn't too sure what this small group of Humans hoped to gain from his and his fellow Wraith's capture. Clearly they had been testing the feeding process, and Mind Song had seen some blood samples taken from dead Wraith before their bodies were dragged away.

No doubt his own corpse would soon be treated the same.

Some days, or perhaps it was night above, he considered forcing the Humans' hands. Their leader, an intelligent and uncompromising Human, would not tolerate violence against his group. Any captive that tried to feed off their guards was killed and their dead remains dragged away. Mind Song suspected the only reason he had outlived so many was because of his agreement to be used as a plaything; to feed when asked and stop when prodded.

It was an agreement that he reassessed each time, and his weakened hungry mind honestly considered breaking each time. Then he could escape this never-ending torture.

 _Drip..._

 _Drip, Drip..._

A new sound registered in the distance, Human footfalls and the whispering of voices.

One advantage of Mind Song's long tenure in these prisons, and his willingness to keep to the arrangement so far, meant that many of the guards had long ago forgotten to worry that he might be listening; or perhaps they underestimated the distance of Wraith hearing down such empty hallways?

"... _you hear?"_ one voice whispered, slightly out of breath, from the corridor beyond the cells.

" _Yes,_ " another replied, his voice colder, less interested in the subject matter.

Mind Song kept his eyes closed, but focused his attention more acutely on the distant whispers.

" _It could be any day,_ " the first uttered, clear Human excitement in his voice.

" _The same has been said for weeks now."_

" _Then why is the Commander preparing now? If they're readying to transport him, then it must be soon."_

" _The Commander is always ready."_

" _But if they capture Sheppard-."_

" _The Commander will tell us when that day arrives."_

" _Are you not interested in returning home? To pushing that despot Cowen from his throne?"_

" _Of course,"_

" _It could be any day!"_

Mind Song pulled his attention away from the exchange, losing interest. Human affairs.

He took a deep breath and prepared to attempt to raise his conscious back to the network, to seek some solace and repair his body just that fraction possible by that connection.

Only, a squeak of old metal hinges in the far distance and then the soft touch of leather on stone told him one particular Human was on the move outside. He moved with a different pattern and carefulness compared to the other Humans.

Mind Song kept his attention on the approaching sounds, the guards outside now silent. The steps grew closer down the corridor outside, and then turned into the entrance to the prison cells.

Mind Song kept his place knelt on the floor, his eyes closed, but listened to the prey's approach beyond the metal bars. Then the heavy weight of the Human's predatory stare itched at him.

The Human leader had arrived.

Mind Song kept his eyes closed. "Something is keeping you awake?" He asked casually.

Leather shifted and a breath released into the still air outside the cell. "You appear especially hungry tonight."

The Human liked to taunt, but Mind Song could smell the adrenaline in the air. Something indeed was imminent.

"I imagine that the hunger must be very painful towards the end, from what I've seen of the others," the Human baited.

"Life is painful," Mind Song remarked.

The Human uttered a deep chuckle at that. "True enough."

Silence descended. Mind Song waited. He might be this creature's prisoner and pet, but he did not have to play the role of weakling.

Boots shifted on stone and the Human began to move, pacing closer towards the cell's bars. He knew how close he could approach to remain just beyond Mind Song's reach through those bars.

The Human reached the unseen line, but then moved over it.

Mind Song felt his heart-rate increase without his permission; his body responding to the mere chance of food in his starving state.

"You haven't fed in some time; you're very near to death," the Human remarked.

"It would not be the first time," Mind Song replied honestly, chuckling to himself to think of one particular time. That ancient Lantean, he could run and hide like no creature Mind Song had met before. There were some days he rather missed the Ancestor race who had fought for so long, only to drown their city in a vast deep ocean.

Perhaps then, they had won after all.

"We shall shortly be acquiring a new visitor," the Human leader supplied.

The whispers had been correct then.

"And you wish me to keep to our former arrangement," Mind Song supplied as he finally opened his eyes.

"You get to feed, but only on orders," the Human repeated.

Once again, Mind Song considered saying no, but his innate desperation to survive was stronger than his will now. By agreeing, at least he could quell this burning hunger a little.

"Agreed," Mind Song intoned into the cold space around him.

He knew this Human had no intention of freeing him, regardless of how long and efficiently he obeyed in the feeding. But, if these Humans intended to return to their homeworld as was so often whispered as their aim, perhaps a day would come when he could take advantage of a moment.

"Good," the Human replied, his sharp gaze and assessing. "It shouldn't be too long now."

With that, he turned on his heel and walked away. "Try not to die before he arrives," the Human added before he disappeared from view.

Mind Song parted his lips in a snarl, but it took too much energy.

At the twitch of an atrophying muscle in his leg, he sighed out a long breath and closed his eyes again, trying to focus on returning his mind to the network.

He just needed to survive long enough for his next tiny morsel of food.

Oh, for the days when he had freely taken his fill on powerful Lantean lives...

 _Drip..._

 _Drip..._

00000  
TBC


	2. The Mission On Sol

**Chapter 2 – On Sol**

The planet of Sol was very pleasant, and appeared to be comprised of equal parts expansive farmlands and dense forest. The air was dry and clear, reflecting perhaps a summer season in this area of the planet closest to its Portal.

The sun shone warm and bright across the tall forest trees, filtering down in between wide leaves to glimmer across a soft spongy ground beneath. It reminded Teyla of her earliest years living in the Athosian forest. The trees here were far larger and taller, and there were no large cities outside the forest like Tjaru had been to her village. Though her memories of those distant youthful days living in the forest were tinged with the ever-present fear of cullings and the grief of losing Mother, Teyla still felt a deep sense of home when once again among trees.

Sat up in the high branches of a large Sol tree, her back comfortably settled against warm bark, she was provided with an excellent view of the surrounding forest floor below.

It was still too early for the Wraith to emerge from its hidden place, hibernating and thereby hiding its mind and location from her. She could sense that there was a Wraith here on Sol, but not where it was. For now, it was simply a faint displeasure in her belly.

Sol was not an Alliance world, but was relatively close to the border, and, most significantly, was only a short ship journey away from the recent site of the Nest System battle. It was very common for Wraith that survived such battles to flee to nearby planets; sometimes inside Alliance territory and sometimes outside.

The local residents on Sol had seen balls of fire fall from the sky several weeks ago, and had since been losing members of their community in the night, only to be found in the early morning fed upon. Frightened, yet determined, the local peoples had tracked the Wraith down in the forest themselves, finding its crashed ship and the monster inside it. By their sheer numbers and with the help of several Alliance guns that had 'found' their way over the border, the locals had killed the Wraith, but the attacks had continued.

So more than one Wraith had crashed on Sol. Given the twin seat fighter remains the locals had found in the forest, there was likely only one other Wraith to hunt down.

Alone and without any connections to another Hive or Queen to save them, these sole survivor Wraith usually bedded down on planets like Sol, feeding off the local peoples from one settlement to the next, feeding well and waiting for an opportunity to join a friendly Hive.

However, the remaining Wraith on Sol was not going to get that chance. The local settlement most affected had contacted the Elite for help, and though clearly wary of the Alliance as a whole, they had welcomed her and Oneakka since they had arrived three days ago.

She glanced down to the forest floor and off to the right where Oneakka was concealed between two massive tree trunks. She could only see the left side of his face and one shoulder, but it was enough that they could keep a line of sight between them as they patiently waited for the day's light to fade and the Wraith to finally emerge. It had been five days on Sol since the last attack, which was the longest period between previous feedings, so tonight the monster should wake to feed.

Tidying up stray Wraith was common enough work for the Elite, but this offered mission had actually arrived at a perfect time for her. She had needed an excuse to leave Athos for a few days.

Father had been very busy developing the new ties between Athos and Atlantis, following her and John's Political Marriage. For the last weeks, he had set Tjaru as the site for the 'First Intergalactic Conference'. He had invited experts from across the Alliance to meet with Atlantis personnel in Tjaru and discuss trade and cultural subjects. However, within the first days of the Conference, news had gotten around and the influx of visitors had substantially increased. Suddenly Father had some of the most well known experts on all manner of professions from across the Alliance arriving at his door. As a result, most of the rooms of the Governing Complex, as well as meeting halls and medical teaching spaces across Tjaru, were filled with daily scheduled seminars, lectures, and discussion groups.

Military strategists, medical technicians, Ancestor tech specialists, biologists, political leaders, and various trading organisations from across the Alliance had started talking, and not just with Atlantis, but with each other in ways never before enjoyed. It appeared that no one had thought to run something so wide ranging before in covering so many subjects, and it had brought a vast amount of business into Athos. All lodgings were booked up, eating establishments working overtime, and the drinks halls were celebrating more business than ever before. Once all of Tjaru had booked up, the nexy local towns had filled up their lodgings, and traders had been quick to cover transport in and out of Tjaru for the visitors.

It was a fantastic display of the extra benefits of her and John's Political Marriage that she had never predicted. Colonel Carter clearly agreed and had been sending her own people everyday into Tjaru, and, according to John, experts had been brought into Atlantis from Earth for weeks. Apparently scientists were 'chomping at the bit' to join the Conference. She was not entirely sure of the source of John's saying, but she understood that his people were excited.

However, as wonderful as it was, it had meant that she and John had had to attend every day of the Conference. As the political tool that had brought the Conference together, they had to be seen by all those attending. All eyes had been on them, and they had had to sit through an extensive variety of discussion groups and lectures, and then attend every meal as guests of honour for all to see. It had been fine for the first few days, but after two weeks of it, she had started to feel trapped and the constant watching wondering eyes had been getting to her.

All of the visitors watched her and John intently, all of them assessing, analysing and whispering. As an Elite warrior, she was used to being the focus of attention – it was part of being an Elite to be visible for people to see that resistance to the Wraith was possible. Yet, the stares and intrigue about her at the Conference had clearly not been about her being a warrior, but being John's Wife.

She did not read the more social sides of the news feeds, but she knew that she and John had been heavily focused upon for the Conference. Their pictures had been seen everywhere. And she had had to maintain the appearance of controlled warrior, but pleased new wife in them all. So, despite the last day of the Conference fast approaching, she had leapt at the chance to join Oneakka on this mission to Sol. It was far more tiring dealing with the social pressures than hunting Wraith.

Though, the one positive of the Conference for her personally, was being able to spend so much time with John. He didn't enjoy being the centre of attention either, but with him at her side, it had been far more bearable. Plus, it had brought them together over a new common ground that did not involve a space battle or hand-to-hand combat with Wraith. They had been able to rediscover their friendship, spending all their days at the Conference together, but also enjoying short breaks alone together in her quarters. Over shared tea they would discuss what they'd heard in the seminars and share jokes over the various things they had seen. John had started up a game of giving the various, and constantly changing, sea of faces at the Conference humorously descriptive names.

As was always his way, he had brought a sense of levity whilst never being disrespectful. Over these weeks he had shown, anew, how he had truly been the correct choice for her Political Husband. She would never have laughed with General Maloo over how 'grumpy chin guy' had clearly been ogling 'never washes her hair lady' in a discussion group about maintaining agricultural stocks across the Alliance.

She smiled at the remembered comment. It was good to spend so much time with John, perhaps the most time they'd actually spent together since she'd first spied him in that slaver's cage; the first time they had properly met. He had looked her straight in the eye and smiled, all while trying to appear nonchalant about his situation. He had even tried to flirt with her through the bars.

So very John.

She was aware, despite how much improved their friendship had become, that things had remained somewhat careful between them. There was a line that they did not step over anymore, its presence nearly always there. He flirting gently with her, just the occasional comment and he nearly always carried on with another comment quickly, not lingering on the sexual tone of his voice and meaning. They often embraced in greeting, his people's tradition for married couples, and he placed a kiss to her cheek. Always quick and polite, and not lingering or implying he wished for more.

She both loved those moments, and also feared them too.

Like never before did she understand how insects were drawn to the burning danger of a flame at night. John's presence was wonderful, entertaining and supportive, but also worryingly bright and attractive.

Too much had happened between them to pretend otherwise. He was her weakness, and she had hurt him with her rejection and attempt to marry another man. Though they had discussed the facts several times, and he had said he had forgiven her for her past mistakes, they had both agreed that their affair before had been misguided.

But, the warming light of him at her side...the temptation of the flame. Part of her wondered if she could hold her distance from him for the years ahead. Whether she even wanted to.

Or whether he had truly forgiven her enough to agree.

She sighed loudly into the warm Sol air. This mission at least had given her some distance from the emotional confusion John could provoke in her – or did it simply give her more time to dwell on it?

Better to focus on her work. The sun was past its height overhead, so best to do what she and Oneakka had been assigned here for.

She leant her head to one side to check on Oneakka. His posture told her that nothing in the vicinity concerned him. He would be continuously monitoring the surrounding forest with a sensor pad, while it was her duty to watch and wait for the Wraith to stir awake.

Trusting Oneakka to watch over her, she closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. Slowly, she stilled further, deeper; sinking into that cold place inside that was her connection to the Wraith psychic network.

Years of training, and real world experience, meant that she no longer feared the cold place, but instead knew how to drive into it effectively. She always felt as if she were diving down into a deep cold and vast ocean. She pictured sweeping her arms out in front of her and then pulling them back, propelling her deeper and deeper.

She had used to struggle in this place, but now she knew it all too well. She had long ago found her power here, and she wrapped that control and belief in herself as a warmth around her against the cold depths.

Focused, and in the deepest place she needed, she held still in the coldness, waiting. Seeking.

After some time, she felt a single mind as it stirred awake, its consciousness rising into the sense of damp trees and a chill across the Wraith's skin.

She forced herself up through the ocean and snapped her eyes open. She reached to the collar of her coat and tapped the link to Oneakka, alerting him to her discovery.

At which point she realised that Sol's sun was at the horizon, the sky a deep dark claret red. She had been waiting in the depths far longer than she had realised. But, she had a lock on the Wraith's mind now, a light touch that it should not be able to feel.

A light crunch of boots on bracken below drew her gaze down the tall tree in which she was wedged. Oneakka had arrived at the foot of the tree and was looking up at her. His pale skin was oddly bright in the new mist that lingered over the soft forest floor around him. The dark lines of his facial tattoos stood out sharply as he angled his head in silent question.

She held up her right index finger, indicating one Wraith mind, and then pointed off to the far left. He nodded and stepped back from the tree, sensor pad in his hand.

Teyla moved her stiffened limbs to life and climbed quickly down the tree to join him. The sun was sinking faster now, and by the time she reached the ground, the mist had grown thicker, dampening the air and adding a more eerie sensation to the darkening forest.

As she stepped up close to Oneakka's side, she studied the sensor pad in his hand. The display showed a myriad of small lifesigns, which would be local wildlife. That those readings were moving around at varying speeds told her that the Wraith was not in the immediate area.

All life feared the Wraith.

Except Elite.

She drew out her two stunners, checked their power and that they were set on kill level. Her swords on her back, knife at her lower back, a small projectile gun at the back of her holster, boot knives, and wearing Wraith stunner resistant clothing, she was ready for the hunt.

Oneakka, his own weapon check complete, nodded, and they began to move silently forward. They would not talk unless absolutely necessary. There was no need to give the Wraith any warning.

The forest grew darker as they walked, the mist thickening further, hanging between the mighty trees and over the thick patches of waist-high shrubs. Small creatures scurried away as she and Oneakka moved through the vegetation as smoothly as possible.

Oneakka held his sensor pad ahead of him, but she was the lead on direction. Her senses expanded, she kept that channel open between the part of her in the ocean and the Wraith somewhere in this forest.

It was fully awake and moving.

She could not tell precisely where it was, but she knew the general direction and that they were gaining ground on it. The closer she got, the better she would be able to pinpoint the Wraith's location. For now, she could only follow the vague direction, which she gestured out for Oneakka again, and he moved with her without question.

The forest started to change around them, the shrubs increasing and the ground more uneven. Deep hollows between giant lifted roots of the largest trees became wider and deeper. They had to carefully clamber over thick roots, down into the hollow echoing dips, and then back up the other sides. All while keeping as quiet as possible and making sure to check all directions and watch for any ambushes from above.

Perhaps it was the crunch of tiny twigs underfoot, but she knew the instant that the Wraith heard their approach.

She froze, her hand shooting to her temple – the sign that the Wraith was aware of them. Oneakka froze too, his entire posture altering, preparing for battle.

She felt the same, her body bracing in readiness, her back rounding very slightly, held like a spring ready to release once the angle of attack was found. For now though, the search was inside.

She could feel the Wraith's mind searching for a Seeker, like a light shining through the ocean, hoping to illuminate her position. She held still mentally as much as physically, eyes scanning the misty forest around her.

The Wraith could not find her still mind, but she could tell it somehow knew it was now being hunted. She sensed fear flash through its mind, almost panic. It was indeed from the Nest System, for she had seen a flash of unprotected images from its mind – the Alliance Military Fleet, a burst of fire, tumbling through atmosphere and an impact so hard she sensed the Wraith had been critically injured.

She looked towards Oneakka, to see that he held up his pad, indicating the same direction she had sensed. She nodded and silently communicated to him with hand-signals that they had learnt during the first days of training. He nodded and confirmed the direction he would take. She nodded in turn and they parted across the soft ground, fanning out from each other as they circled round in the direction of the Wraith.

She moved as quickly as she could whilst still being as silent as possible, but it could cost the hunt if she and Oneakka lost time in catching up to the Wraith. The creatures could move very fast when they wanted to run.

Breathing fast, but softly, her breath swirled into the mist ahead of her, the night air now colder against her cheeks.

She slowed her steps, knowing Oneakka would be led by her actions from his position further out to the left.

The Wraith was close.

Moving up a slight rise in the ground that may once have been a fallen tree, she kept her stunner in front of her, sighting along it, and she focused her mind like a knife now. If she could find it's mind and cut in, she could hold the Wraith still; but she needed to intently focus for that, to be still herself. If she could find it while it hid...

Except it felt her touch this time and a flash of distracting ghostly shadows danced out of the shrubbery around her.

She ignored the display, for the Wraith had now revealed its position to her. As she turned in the right direction, she saw the Wraith break ground and race away, darting behind a tree.

She raced after it, knowing Oneakka would be running now too, keeping pace with her, looking for a different angle on the creature. And sure enough, a blast of energy fire lanced through the mist from her left, but it simply exploded against tree bark.

Teyla raced ahead, using her innate speed to push ahead and run down their quarry.

Another large fallen tree was ahead and she leapt up over it, only to discover that there was a hidden hollow behind it. She reached out and caught the top of the fallen tree as she dropped, quickly slowing her descent, and she landed safely down in the forest's dip and then raced up the other side.

Stunner in hand, she held it high and forward, ready to fire the second she had a line of sight of the panicked Wraith.

A flash of light skin and flying hair to her right instantly drew her gaze, and she fired three blasts towards it. Bright unused energy blasts hit the edge of a tree, sending up sparks in the mist to highlight the dipping and diving Wraith as it dodged another blast from Oneakka to the left.

She raced after it and shouted to Oneakka. "Six degrees off right," she informed him as she raced on.

Energy blasts tore past her as Oneakka fired again from the left, trying to provoke the Wraith to run the way she wanted. Another tree lit up in sparks and the mist glowed brightly, highlighted the Wraith in the darkness.

Another ghost danced around her, the Wraith's attempt to distract again, but she had aim and fired.

The Wraith hissed loudly as its left arm lit up and the creature tumbled sideways out of view. "Hit!" She reported to Oneakka with a shout.

The Wrath was out of sight though.

"Still where it fell," Oneakka shouted from the far left, his voice breathy from the run, as he reported from his sensor pad.

Teyla raced towards that point, the smoking tree a perfect signpost. She raced up a rise to the place where the Wraith had disappeared and looked down into a new flatter, vegetation covered stretch below.

Her legs were burning and her shoulders tight from the cold air, but she held still, scanning the blanket of thick vegetation. The Wraith was hurt and it was hiding down there somewhere.

She edged down the rise to the edge of the thicket. Dark stains over large green plants told her she had indeed gotten a good shot on the Wraith.

She didn't dare call out to Oneakka and give away her position, and she sensed the Wraith within reach.

The mist hung over the leaves and prickly looking bushes, and nothing stirred with any telltale breath of a moving body yet.

The mist shuddered, fake shadows moving at her, designed to provoke the primitive attention of her Human brain. She reacted to the movements, but her training allowed her to instantly ignore them as false.

She started to focus the knife edge of her mind again when it struck.

It ripped up out of the dense vegetation, flying up at her with a vicious snarling rage.

She fired several blasts at the shape, reacting instantly. Further fire hit the Wraith from her left, and it was dead before it dropped into the prickly thicket near Teyla's feet.

She sighed a heavy breath of relief, only to realise that though the Wraith's mind faded, another was still present. She opened her mouth to shout a warning to Oneakka, turning to where he stood on the rise to her far left.

But, it was too late.

A loud sudden snarl and a blur of motion slammed into Oneakka and pushed him off the rise and down into the vegetation.

Teyla ran to help, weapon ahead, but also focusing her mind to attack the Wraith's mind. Except she need not have worried, several blasts of weapons fire and a loud swear word from Oneakka followed instantly, and she felt the Wraith's mind disappear.

And which point, another mind appeared, as if triggered by the death of the last one.

Her mind sharp and alert she had sensed it's arrival immediately though and she turned to her left, looking up to see the newest Wraith appear on the crest of the ridge and leap down at her. She fired up at it before it had even begun its leap, striking it directly in the skull twice, and it tumbled down the rise, rolling past her and into the prickly thicket. She could see immediately that it had already been injured, his body armour broken and tied back together, and there was dried blood over it

"Any more?" Oneakka asked in a loud whisper, appearing into her peripheral vision.

She moved away from the third, and now dead, Wraith, scanning carefully.

There was nothing but empty air, but she tried again, just to be certain.

"What happened?" Oneakka asked, no further detail required to his question. He was still focused outward into the forest, but moving towards her.

She turned on the spot, sweeping her Gift through the cold ocean.

"I think as each died, the next awoke from hibernation," she guessed. "I think this last one was already badly injured; its mind was very weak."

"My one's missing an arm," Oneakka reported as he reached her side, gun pointed in the opposite direction of hers. "My guess is it was probably torn off on impact. Even Wraith can't grow arms back."

"I can't sense anything else," Teyla reported, but she wished she felt more certain.

"You sure?" Oneakka checked, but she did not take any offence.

"Yes," she confirmed. Hopefully.

Oneakka relaxed next to her. "Those last two both came from over the rise that way."

Teyla nodded and looked round at him. The left side of his forehead was dark with blood. "You are injured," she pointed out in case he had not realised in the adrenaline of battle.

"Just a few scratches. Damn thorns on that shrub it pushed me into."

"Okay," Teyla accepted as she started up the rise again, her senses expanded just in case.

"The latest sensor updates were supposed to pick up hibernating Wraith," Oneakka muttered from behind her as he followed her.

"It's still to be proven satisfactorily in the field," Teyla replied offhand as she scanned the forest, picking up the leaping spaced boot-prints of the Wraith on the other side of the rise. "This way."

She headed off to the left, climbing up a tangled collection of the big tree roots and over them to find another dip behind. And in the middle of the dip there was something covered in tree branches and broken vegetation.

"Another fighter," Oneakka noted as he reached her side.

"They must have dragged it down in here and concealed it," Teyla slid down into the dip, noting the fresh boot-prints moving back up. She used her gun to push sharp dry branches aside to reveal more of the broken fighter. "The front end is missing," she noted.

Oneakka had moved past her and pushed something aside. "Cockpit is here. On its side," he reported and Teyla watched as he crouched down and crawled into it.

"They dug it down into the soil," Teyla noted as she crouched down by Oneakka's protruding lower legs, "made a makeshift hut."

"There's blood in here," Oneakka reported from inside the fighter. There was some scratching around and a light blinked alive inside, lighting up the limited interior. "They've rigged up something in here," Oneakka muttered as he pulled something free and the light dimmed away.

Teyla pulled back as Oneakka backed out, a piece of tech in his hand.

"That isn't from this fighter," Teyla noted.

"Looks like it's our tech," Oneakka muttered as he pried it open. "It's an Elite sensor pad basic chip and relay. How'd they get this?"

"They kill enough of us," Teyla reported grimly as she stood back up, stretching out her senses again. There was nothing though, just the cool forest air. She heard something small shifting through some leaves behind her; life was already emerging now the Wraith were dead.

Oneakka stood up next to her, frowning at the tech, clearly annoyed that the Wraith had used it, but it was his forehead that drew her gaze.

"You're still bleeding," she informed him.

He dabbed the back of his free hand against the left side of his forehead and looked at the resulting stain on the back of his hand. "It's drying," he reported and crouched back down by the Wraith fighter. "We're going to need to change our blocking frequencies."

Shaking her head at Oneakka's version of self-care, she moved back through the dip to climb back out. "We need to gather the bodies and head back to the local settlement." It was always important to bring the locals to the scene afterwards, so that they could see for themselves that their enemy had been defeated. They could then decide how best to dispose of the bodies. Some cultures Teyla had encountered believed certain rituals had to be performed to prevent the Wraith rising again.

"Eager to get back to Athos?" Oneakka asked. On the face of it, the question sounded innocent enough, but his tone suggested otherwise.

Teyla paused and looked back towards him. "Yes, of course," she said sarcastically, "All those fascinating endless debates on how best to weigh Alliance grain."

Oneakka had fished something else out of the fighter and stood up again, turning towards her as he pushed the two reacquired pieces of Elite tech into his jacket pockets. "I was referring to your imminent stay in Atlantis," he replied.

Oh yes, that was only days away. She had managed to forget about that while dealing with matters at the Conference and spending time with John.

Or perhaps she had simply been in denial of it.

"I have been focusing on getting to the final day of the Conference first," she dismissed the thought and returned her attention to climbing out of the forest hollow.

"Seven days living in Atlantis," Oneakka continued on the subject though, his voice following her as she climbed up over the tree roots above. "Should be interesting."

"I have stayed in Atlantis before," she replied as she started down the other side of the roots and headed for the rise, on the other side of which the three dead Wraith were waiting.

"Though you'll be sharing quarters with Sheppard this time," Oneakka replied, tone full of very clear implication.

She glared at him over her shoulder as she reached the rise.

"Or did you share them last time?" Oneakka teased, raising his blooded left eyebrow.

"They will be adjoining quarters only," she pointed out, feeling oddly warm cheeked at Oneakka's far too accurate guess at how she had spent her last stay in Atlantis. Things would be very different this time.

She wasn't entirely sure if she felt relieved or sad at that fact.

"You must be very bored staying in the Facility to be focusing your thoughts on Sheppard and me," she provoked him back. With the Sythus still in space dock for its major repairs following the Nest System battle, Oneakka was staying at the Elite Training Facility. He had actually attended the Conference twice though, interested in some of the technical lectures and seminars. He had had his usual silent intimidation routine working for him, making all those around him nervous, except when he had sat with her, John and the small group from Atlantis for midday meal. Then he had been quite chatty about all he'd heard.

She had rather missed Oneakka's presence for all these weeks, and she had barely heard anything from Halling. That worried her, though Oneakka had assured her, quite firmly actually, that Halling was alive and well. Apparently the two of them had found some prophecy they were investigating together as a project – Oneakka on active available duty in the Facility and Halling on duty on the docked Sythus. Teyla wasn't sure why they found another prophecy so interesting; there had been thousands of such reports over the years; foretellings of the Wraith arising again, a buried Hive awakening etc. were all background noise to the Elite now. With all the Hives awake, there was no further need to pay much attention to local planetary legends to find a Hive.

"You and Sheppard are all the talk everywhere," Oneakka replied.

"You read the political news feeds?" She asked doubtfully.

"I skim them," he argued.

She shook her head at him and continued on up the rise and down to the bodies. "We will need to mark our way back here, so we can find them again."

"I've got a paint marker," Oneakka reported as he grunted and pulled his one armed dead Wraith from the aforementioned thorny shrub to lie alongside the other two.

Teyla checked over the bodies, pulling out a Wraith stunner and little else. "Our tech aside, they were not well supplied."

"Wraith only need their hands," Oneakka repeated the often recounted piece of Elite training wisdom.

She nodded at that truth and headed back up the rise, eager now to find their way back to the settlement. Some food and a walk back here with the locals in the morning, and then she could head back through the Portal to Athos.

"You want me to have a word with him?" Oneakka asked her.

"A word with whom?" She asked Oneakka over her shoulder.

"Sheppard," Oneakka replied, a cheeky grin showing in the light of his sensor pad's screen as he followed her. He was pulling out a small box from a pouch in his holster with his free hand, inside of which was a white pad of ink that could be pressed to an object to highlight a route. "Make sure he behaves himself," Oneakka added as he opened the little paint box.

"Then maybe I should have a word with Seeal," Teyla countered.

Oneakka's cheekiness evaporated instantly. "What?"

Now it was her time to grin at him, pleased with the quite dramatic reaction.

"What has Massa been saying?" Oneakka asked with a sigh of exasperation.

Teyla turned and headed away. "Nothing," she said with feigned innocence. The truth was that it had been Si that had first drawn her attention to the dynamic interactions between Oneakka and Seeal, though Massa had mentioned the same quite frequently of late.

"The man sees things that aren't there. He promised me he wouldn't go telling lies to people," Oneakka complained.

Teyla had to smile at hearing him talk that way, for it brought back memories. Back to when they had both been far younger, lives immersed in their Elite training, and before the dark days when Oneakka's entire people had been murdered by the Wraith. Though never boastful, the young Oneakka that Teyla remembered had been gloriously enthusiastic in everything he did; whether it was learning, drinking, dancing, attracting females, or challenging even the most famous Elite warriors to sparring matches, he had been a bright star among the Recruits.

Before he had chosen to seek vengeance by himself for his lost people. Only a teenager, he had done what no one had thought possible and it had almost killed him. Once he had woken from his injuries, scarred and orphaned, he had never been the same.

But, there were moments, when he was with those he cared for the most, that the younger, more emotionally vulnerable version of him could appear.

His voice now, whinging about their mutual friend took her right back to those days; days when she and her fellow Recruits had been focused only on learning and the usual social pressures of being full of hormones and finding one's place in the universe; when they had all felt safe in their training. Oneakka had been the first to have that safety broken, but it had never broken him in turn. Though, it had, perhaps, killed a lightness in him. To hear even the slightest echo of his more open youth, could only make her smile.

"As I recall things," she turned to face him, "you were the one who told Massa about John and myself."

"But that's real," Oneakka answered quickly as his excuse.

"It _was_ real," Teyla corrected immediately; it was important to reinforce, even to herself, that the days of her and John's misguided passion over politics were at an end.

As much as part of her might wish otherwise.

" _Who_ was it you married again?" Oneakka challenged.

She lifted an eyebrow at him. "Massa is not the only one who has noticed your closeness with Seeal."

"We're friends – _colleagues_ ," he quickly corrected himself. "We're _colleagues_ ," he repeated firmly. The older version of him was back, annoyed and sensitive.

"If you say so," Teyla offered, but smiled at him before turning back to leading them through the forest. It was a rare day indeed when Oneakka could be teased about personal feelings, and it was not to be wasted.

"Why is this so interesting to people? I'm allowed to have friends who are female. I have several; I'm friends with you and no one believes there's more to it," Oneakka insisted on the subject as he followed her.

"I thought you and Seeal were simply _colleagues_?" Teyla asked over her shoulder.

Oneakka sighed loud as he paused and smacked the ink pad a little too aggressively against a tree that was now their marker back. "Stupid Massa," Teyla heard him mutter.

She didn't bother holding back her laughter. For in these moments with good friends, she could forget the pressures on her; of those waiting for her back on Athos, those ahead in Atlantis, and those of her broken heart.

000000  
TBC


	3. The Determined Protector

**Chapter 3 – The Determined Protector  
**

Every reading worried Long Sleep.

It seemed as if the worries had started to build from the moment he had set boot on this new Hive he had pledged his allegiance to only a few short weeks ago. Not only was this Hive dominated by a thick-headed and overly aggressive Hive Primary, who appeared to have taken a dislike to Long Sleep, but their new Great Queen had not once stepped outside her Throne Room.

The only time Long Sleep had seen her at all was during that first, and only, audience with her. Even then she had been almost entirely concealed behind a membrane curtain. She was apparently a new type of Queen bred from the different lineages into a new greater Queen. Long Sleep had his doubts about that as, from what he knew of the genetics of his kind, he could not understand how different Queen lineages could be combined biologically and effectively.

Whatever she was from that strange beginning, Long Sleep was almost certain that she was physically unusual too, for he had sneaked a glance at her silhouetted outline during that single audience. He had seen enough to suggest that her limbs were abnormally long and that she had only three fingers on each hand. Perhaps it was that alteration from normal that explained why she hid herself away.

But her presence was most certainly felt. Her mind was immensely impressive. Almost all the warriors and drones in the Hive were fellow survivors, and they all felt desperate relief in being welcomed and to once again feel the wondrous mental presence of a Queen. However, Long Sleep had started to feel somewhat guarded about the Great Queen's vast overseeing mind.

He had always had a tendency to think independently, his mutated batch having given him a dramatically fast and varied mind. Most of his batch brothers had not survived their birthing, but all of his brothers that had survived, and not so mutated as to be killed by that first Queen, had all been 'different'. It was perhaps that difference that had allowed him, and his batch brothers, to be able to operate well without a Queen. He always felt the deep unnatural absence in his heart when without a Queen, but he did not need one as most warriors and drones required.

So, perhaps it was his innate independence that allowed him such concerns, and yet also enabled him to be able to wrap up his wayward thoughts deep within his busy mind. If the Queen, and especially her Hive Primary, were aware of his doubts and suspicions, he would no doubt be killed. After all, it did not serve to be different among Wraith. His batch had proven that, for only one of his brothers remained and his mind felt weak and troubled in the far distance of the emptied network.

This left Long Sleep very much alone on this ship with mounting concerns and uncertainties building around him.

Such as the Queen's new drive.

He had no idea what it was exactly or who had created it - perhaps it had been the Queen herself - but it had required a new specialised housing to be grown out of two extra drive pods. Merged together now, the pods had formed one excessive protrusion from the Hive. The rest of the ship's hull had also had to grow to accommodate this, thickening and expanding to ensure that the Hive remained in one piece when moving in hyperspace or when using the new drive.

Yet, despite the massiveness to the housing, none were allowed to see the drive held inside. Only the Hive Primary had had access to it while the housing had been grown and, now fully grown and the drive activated, the section was sealed off. In his first days aboard, Long Sleep had repeatedly expressed his concerns since it was clear to him that the Hive itself was not meshing well with the new drive technology. His concerns had been aggressively rejected by the Hive Primary, and Long Sleep had been assigned to work as a Keeper.

Thousands of years of experience in command and strategy, and now he was a Keeper – focused only on keeping the Hive maintained and functioning properly. He spent his days watching power line flow, nutritional fluid levels, and repairing torn webbing that failed to heal appropriately.

But, if it had been the intention to hide Long Sleep away, his position as a Keeper had actually provided him with a new useful perspective of the Hive. And what he saw worried him, and those worries increased with each passing hour.

Since the new drive had been activated and tested for the first time, a strange new radiation had started penetrating the Hive. There were small variations to almost all the Hive's readings, not so much to be a problem yet, but, as the new drive was now kept permanently powered, there clearly was a slow and steadily growing strain on the Hive's systems in reaction to the radiation.

No one else seemed concerned though, and especially not the Hive Primary. They were all too excessively ecstatic over the first successful test, even though it had resulted in no culling and therefore the Hive remained devoid of food.

Long Sleep sighed, aware of a creeping tiredness in his body. He had not fed in weeks and the worries did not help, and keeping his mind tightly contained took focus.

There was the promise of a culling soon to replenish and restock the Hive on the next jumps into the Armoured Herd's territory, but those promises had yet to be fulfilled.

Why had the Queen not allowed a culling to a planet outside of the Armoured Herd's territory? There were plenty out here unguarded.

Why did she keep this new drive powered, thereby constantly creating this new strange radiation?

The Hive Primary and the Great Queen had promised a great victory against their enemies with this new technology, that there would be vengeance satisfied and food aplenty, but Long Sleep worried.

Everything seemed to worry him of late.

00000

There was no way he could be able to tell that the Sythus was in space dock, but Oneakka swore that he could tell when the Sythus was in motion and when it lay berthed as it had been all these long weeks. As he moved around his quarters onboard, it felt like the Sythus had a strange sense of inertia, like it was sickly and essentially useless.

Or maybe he was just projecting his own mood on the Sythus around him.

He prodded the tiny control to open up a drawer of clothes and frowned down at the resulting half empty drawer that slid out of the wall. Most of his clothes and armour had made its way to his Facility quarters it seemed. It wasn't the first time that he'd lived between different quarters, and it certainly wouldn't be the last, but it itched at him today.

If he had been able to persuade Halling to also station himself on the Facility, then this back and forth between the Facility and the Sythus wouldn't be necessary.

He grabbed out a long-sleeved shirt from the drawer and pulled it on roughly. Several ribs on his right side complained at the sudden movement.

Damn Wraith on Sol.

Shirt half on, Oneakka twisted to look down at his right ribs where the Wraith had landed on him back in that cold dark forest. Damn thing had practically flown through the air! With thorny brushes digging into one side and the Wraith slamming into the other, Oneakka had been lucky he'd reacted as fast as he had in shooting the thing.

It had probably helped that the Wraith had been missing its right arm. The other Wraith on Sol had probably been feeding it with second-hand life-force from the locals they'd killed. The Mad Moon had theories about whether right-handed Wraith could become left-handed feeders in such situations. Oneakka didn't care. Elite were trained to disable both hands and move on.

His ribs looked lightly bruised, but a few prods and deep breaths confirmed, from experience, that nothing was broken.

He frowned at that as he tugged his shirt on the rest of the way and headed back to where he'd left his body armour on the end of his bed. He tugged it back on, the ribs catching a little, but not enough to be a problem.

He needed to be fighting fit if he was going to make sure that Sitayi' prophecy about Halling wasn't going to end up with the wrong result.

That damned prophecy was practically all he thought about for weeks now. Its vagueness annoyed him constantly. All Sitayi had been able to impart was that Halling was going to end up alone and in a 'dark place' where he would either live or die. If he died, then apparently that would spell the end for the rest of the galaxy too, as some ancient enemy would return to kill everything, even Sheppard's galaxy too.

Which gave Oneakka absolutely nothing to go on.

He'd worked tirelessly, around the occasional mission like on Sol, to find a clue – any clue – as to what this ancient enemy was and where it was coming from. Halling had at least been committed to helping, but, as the weeks had passed, it was clear to Oneakka that his friend had run out of some passion for the search. It felt like it was only Oneakka's repeated reminder that Halling's fate would doom the rest of the galaxy that seemed to inspire Halling.

That pissed Oneakka off – Halling clearly wasn't doing well and Oneakka was fast running out of ways to help. They'd found nothing helpful at all so far.

If he knew who the enemy was, could be pointed at them, Oneakka knew he could sort this out for Halling.

But he knew nothing.

He would keep looking though, and he would keep pestering Halling to move to the Facility. If Halling as in the Facility then Oneakka could ensure he was away from any potential battle. They could research the matter for hours together, and Oneakka could make sure his friend was eating and training enough.

Not sat alone and depressed in his quarters while the Sythus underwent its structural repairs.

Oneakka let out a frustrated sigh as he picked up his holster, strapped it back around him and began sliding all his weapons back into place. He'd come here straight after the mission on Sol had finished, worried that Halling was okay after three days alone. Well, Nalla and the Sythus crew were still onboard, but with all the other Elite off ship, Halling was socially alone. Who knew what could happen in three short days away. But, Oneakka had gotten here and seen quickly that nothing had happened, so he'd come back to his quarters to shower and change his clothes before visiting Halling.

And also have the chance to calm himself a little.

He felt useless in helping Halling; just like the Sythus hanging in empty space dock, he felt grounded without direction. He was a weapon of war, but the battle was nowhere in sight. Each time he was given a short mission, he feared that he would be away when Halling needed him. When that fateful moment would arrive.

Panic rushed up Oneakka's throat, squeezing tight. He coughed it out, angry at himself.

He wasn't used to panic. He was used to every other emotion under whatever sun, and could rise above them all, but panic...it took him back to old memories; of striding across the dead remains of his destroyed homeworld and into a Hive Base that he had set on fire from the inside out.

He wasn't going to let Halling be killed.

He was determined to make sure it never happened.

He wasn't going to lose his best friend. Nothing in this universe was going to stop him from being by Halling's side when the moment came. And if that damn prophecy said Halling really would be by himself in that moment, well, Oneakka would be just outside and would be storming into that 'dark place' to kick whatever's backside for even thinking of hurting Halling.

This standing around worrying certainly wasn't going to achieve anything.

Changed and weapons in place, he strode back across his increasingly emptying quarters, to the door to head out to find Halling. He tapped his daily code into the inside security panel and the door slid open, to reveal the Belkan goat sat outside waiting for him.

He had no idea how the creature knew when he came onboard, but it always somehow turned up regardless of the time of day he visited Halling.

He frowned at the happy looking goat as it stood up and moved towards him. It appeared that the crew were continuing to overfeed the thing.

"You're looking fatter," Oneakka told it as he tapped his code into the outside panel of his quarters as the door slid shut. The goat snuffled at his trouser pocket. "There's no food in there," Oneakka brushed the soft goat nose away, and then ran his hand over the animal's fluffy spotty head.

"How can you be bigger in just three days?" He demanded of the creature. "Who is feeding you?" He'd told the gardeners in the Hydroponics Bay to make sure the goat didn't eat too much, but as the goat had a tendency to wander wherever it wanted on the ship, the crew had taken to giving it 'extras'. The crew were all probably bored from being stuck in space dock for so long, so were probably even visiting the goat in the Hydroponics Bay.

The goat snuffled loudly at his holster.

"There's no food; you're just smelling an alien forest," he told it as he moved away, heading down the corridor, knowing the goat would follow. It always did.

A glance back confirmed the waddling goat was following him on its strangely quiet toes.

He returned his thoughts to how to persuade Halling to move to the Facility. He had already contacted Jobrill, who was due to finish her rotation on the Military Council today, checking whether she could take Halling's place stationed on the Sythus.

Oneakka jabbed at the control to the level's transporter and the doors slid open immediately. He stepped inside and waited for the goat to move in next to him, and then he triggered the level for Halling's quarters.

The goat's soft nose nuzzled at his hand, so he stroked its cheek. "Maybe you should come back to the Facility too. You're eating too much here."

The transporter's doors slid open to Halling's level, but Oneakka paused. The panic threatened to creep up from his chest again, the old memories stirring. His life experience was unfortunately filled with plenty of examples of when he'd been unable to save people. He knew he couldn't save everyone in a crisis, and that sometimes a wall just collapsed, people lost their grip on ledges, and the Wraith sweeper beams nearly always caught some people. He hated it, but it was a fact of the Elite life that you saw those who hadn't been able to run fast enough or just happened to be standing in the wrong place at the wrong time.

He'd never heard the last screams of his own people...of his family...but his nightmares created them for him using the echoes of those he had heard over his years fighting the Wraith.

It didn't mean he was going to lose Halling too. He would give everything to save Halling, even if that meant throwing himself into that 'dark place' in Halling's stead.

To save Halling, his brother from another world.

And to save two galaxies.

Control regained, he strode decisively down the corridor to Halling's door and jabbed the button to announce his presence.

The door opened and Halling appeared, smiling. He really was still alive and well.

"How was the mission?" Halling asked, his eyes sliding to Oneakka's forehead where the thorn scratches and a small bruise were healing. "Eventual, I see."

"As always," Oneakka responded as he stepped inside and assessed his friend closely.

He didn't seem to have the solemn look of depression anymore, but there was still that darkness under his eyes that spoke of lack of sleep.

"Any news?" Oneakka asked as he headed to his usual chair.

"Nothing new in the searches," Halling replied softly as he petted the goat's head and then moved to his usual spot across the low table from Oneakka.

There were several stacks of pads on his table, along with his tablet computer that displayed the Sythus' standard report screen. "I have turned my attention to looking throughout archived history notations," Halling reported as he sat down, "to see if there is any reference to an old enemy of which we are unaware."

Oneakka snorted at that prospect as he settled back in the wonderfully soft Athosian chair. It was the most comfortable thing he had sat on for days. "Find anything?" He asked, but sensed he knew the answer.

"It's the same problem as before - it is difficult to separate the different names and terms for the Wraith themselves from anything else," Halling uttered as he picked up one pad.

Oneakka thought his friend's hand looked thinner than before, or was it simply the reduced lighting in here?

"Why don't you have the lights on full?" Oneakka demanded.

"They are making alterations on the power systems today and they're rotating shutdowns across various sections; we're on secondary power," Halling explained with little interest as he checked the pad.

Oneakka frowned. That would explain why the air had felt colder in his quarters, but the air felt warm enough in here. "The lights were set at half the last time I was here," he pointed out.

Halling's dark eyes slid from the pad finally. "That was because it was the middle of the night when you felt the need to visit me before you left for your mission."

"I couldn't be certain how long I'd be away," Oneakka explained.

"A message or link would have been sufficient," Halling replied before he sighed and set the pad down. "If you want babysitting duties, you should volunteer some time to help Massa."

Oneakka frowned. "Why? What's wrong with baby Aki?"

"Nothing, only that he is not sleeping all that well," Halling reported. "How is Teyla?"

Oneakka looked away to find the goat at his side, looking up at him with its strange alien eyes and a look of goaty affection on its face. He reached out and stroked the animal's head and it moved even closer, settling its chin on his leg.

"If you want to know how Emmagan is, ask her yourself," Oneakka challenged. "But, then you'd have to actually speak to her to do that and you're busy avoiding her."

"I am not avoiding Teyla," Halling dropped his eyes to the pad.

There was definitely some extra darkness under his eyes, and his cheeks looked more gaunt that before.

"Are you training everyday still?" Oneakka asked. "You have to stay in fighting shape for when this battle kicks off."

Halling sighed. "I promised I would."

"That is not an answer," Oneakka pushed.

"Yes, I am training."

"Not enough," Oneakka stated. "You've lost body weight and muscle mass since I last saw you."

"That was only three days ago," Halling argued.

"Doesn't make it untrue," Oneakka pushed, aware that he was letting his frustration and anger at the situation get the best of him again. "Jobrill is free of her duties with the Military Council and she is willing to take your place on duty here on the Sythus. You need to come and stay at the Facility and get back into shape. We can work on this project together and make sure you are ready to meet this stupid ancient enemy when it finally decides to step out of the cowardly fog."

"It would be good to see Massa and Aki," Halling considered.

Oneakka held his breath, surprised at the sudden turnaround. Had his pestering finally paid off?

"I could even look after Aki a little," Halling considered. "It would good to spend some time with the boy while I can."

Oneakka's pleasure at the prospect died a little at that suspicious comment.

"It would be good to see everyone there," Halling continued. Was Halling simply planning to do the things he wanted before he died – was that what he meant?

Oneakka held still, waiting, his own feelings tumbling.

"We haven't had much of a chance to spar and spend time together either," Halling smiled.

Oneakka tried to smile at the nice sentiment, but it was tinged with the implication that Halling wanted to spend time with him because he thought it might be their last. But, Oneakka needed him in the Facility, so arguing about that wouldn't help get Halling to the Facility.

"Good," Oneakka replied, working to make his smile wider. "I'll contact Jobrill."

"I can arrange things, Oneakka," Halling replied, warning in his tone. "I am not a child."

Oneakka bit back his words at that, but as he glanced to the goat again, he couldn't help but mutter, "You behave like one sometimes."

Halling gave him a glare.

Oneakka pretended not to notice. He stroked the goat's neck. "I'm contemplating taking the goat back with me too. This overfeeding is getting too much. It can stay in the Facility's Hydroponics fields."

"You didn't get my message then," Halling said.

Oneakka looked round. "What message? When did you send it?" He hadn't gotten a message from Halling on his daily dial outs from Sol. It was imperative that he receive messages instantly from Halling, that he be alerted immediately if Halling needed him.

"Relax, Oneakka," Halling instructed, "I sent it to your Facility computer terminal, as I thought you would return there first after your mission."

"What was in the message?"

Halling smiled and settled back against the cushions of his sofa. "After your last shouting session at the Hydroponic gardeners-"

"I didn't shout at them," Oneakka interrupted. "I rarely shout."

"You're right, you have an amazing gift to make quiet aggressive words feel like being shouted at," Halling returned.

Oneakka ignored that and waited for Halling to get on with his message.

"The gardeners called in an animal specialist to assess our goat here, and it turns out that she is _not_ simply overeating; she is pregnant."

Oneakka looked round at the goat sat beside him. "She's a she?"

"You didn't realise she was female?" Halling asked.

"What does it matter? Why didn't the Healers pick up on her pregnancy when she first came onboard?"

"They're specialists on humans, _not_ goats, Oneakka," Halling argued. "It didn't occur to you that an animal getting that big that fast might be female and may be pregnant?" He was starting to sound annoyingly condescending.

Oneakka stroked the goat's head with more feeling now. "Do they know how many are in there?" He asked instead of answering Halling.

"The animal specialist scanned her, or as much as she allowed him to, as she was not overly accommodating; I wonder where she might have picked that up from."

"Maybe she didn't want to be poked and prodded. Just because a creature is wilful doesn't mean it's bad," he defended the goat.

Halling smiled though. " _You_ would say that. The animal specialist believes she's likely to have six young."

"Six?!" Oneakka looked back down at the goat's belly.

"I suspect we now know why that Belkan farmer was so happy to trade her away. Not only is she untrainable, but she is about to bring more of her kind into this world. He no doubt didn't want the trouble."

"She _is_ trainable," Oneakka objected. "She has stopped eating the plants she isn't allowed to eat in Hydroponics and she knows when standard feeding times are."

"I'm not insulting the goat, Oneakka," Halling explained.

"I know," Oneakka defended quickly.

He felt faintly embarrassed that he hadn't considered that the goat might be pregnant before now. He faintly remembered wondering if it was male or female when it had first come onboard, but he hadn't been about to poke around the animal's nether regions just to satisfy his curiosity. It was quite fluffy around its belly and he had just assumed anything male might have been concealed. A goat was a goat for the Hydroponics Bay; it didn't matter to him what gender it was.

"The animal specialist thinks this also explains why she's been touring the ship, and maybe why she joined us through the Portal in the first place," Halling supplied. "He believes she's looking for the best place for her young to be born and grow, and perhaps it was only once she felt secure here and the Sythus remained still in space dock that her pregnancy accelerated. Some animals are able to halt their pregnancies in times of difficulty."

Oneakka nodded at the logic. "I should definitely take her to the Training Facility. She can live in Hydroponics there and get the best care. We can't have her on a battleship with a family."

He looked up to see Halling smiling. "I'm sure you'll be a great father."

Oneakka narrowed his eyes at the comment. "Stop that."

"It was just a joke, Oneakka."

"No, I mean that talk," Oneakka glared at him. "Like you're not going to be around in the future."

Halling lowered his eyes and sighed. "Sitayi is never wrong."

"She said you _may_ be killed by this enemy, but that you could survive. She said that if you do fall, then it will mean disaster for all of us, so stop this self-serving surrender talk and help me save you and all of us."

"There is nothing wrong with facing one's possible end with contemplation," Halling said back a new harshness in his tone. Oneakka was glad to hear there was still some fight in him.

"You do not need to tell _me_ about facing death, Halling," Oneakka argued. "But, we both know that if a warrior goes into a fight expecting to die, they'll probably manage it."

"I do not want to die, Oneakka."

"Are you sure, because you're not making this easier on any of us."

"You are angry at the situation, and I was as well, but we need to be logical about this. Sitayi says I will face an 'ancient enemy' in an unknown place, that I will be alone and in the dark, perhaps literally or figuratively. That it will be that moment that will decide my fate, and, yes, perhaps the galaxy's as well. What it does tell us is that I _will_ be in that moment, regardless of what I do and what the outcome will be. I have accepted that fact."

"I don't accept it," Oneakka argued.

"Sitayi has literally never been wrong."

"Well, you may be alone in that moment, but you are guaranteed that I will be very close by and will save you."

Halling smiled. "I know you want to."

"You have done the same for me many times," Oneakka argued, feeling the panic rising again.

"Hopefully we will be successful. The fate of the galaxy is important."

"As is _your_ life, Halling," Oneakka stressed. "We should tell the others that this is about saving you; it'll help motivate them."

"No," Halling's face darkened. "I will not put them in danger by telling them. You know it'll change how they'll treat me and make them think of me first rather than themselves perhaps in a crucial moment. No, this is something I am facing and I will not see others die in my place."

"Telling the others may help us save you and the galaxy," Oneakka pointed out.

"Or it may lead to the situation where I cannot be saved," Halling returned. "We cannot know which is right."

"It makes sense to have more people involved."

Halling let out a heavy breath. "If we do not find anything in all our searches, then maybe, but for now, they can do no better than the research we are undertaking."

Oneakka didn't like it, but they'd had this argument enough times now. Halling was right that any choice could push things the wrong way, or they could push things the right way.

This was why he hated prophecies.

"Besides, there is more than enough for the Military and Elite to focus on right now with the Cruisers that survived the Nest System battle," Halling added. "Did you see the latest reports from out along the border?"

Within a few weeks of the Nest System battle, a collection of Cruisers that had escaped had started up brief strike attacks across the border, forcing the Fleet to spread its resources thinly to defend the new territory line.

"I saw the report on the last series of attack runs; the Cruisers are clearly working co-ordinated attacks," Oneakka checked.

"The Fleet Commanders are concerned," Halling reported. "We dealt the Wraith a decisive blow and they are not happy."

"Good," Oneakka concluded as he returned his attention to the goat as he stroked her fluffy head. He would need to find the animal specialist the gardeners had called in and ask him to visit the goat in the Facility. She would need good care. He would also dig out the original research he had done on the wild Belkan goats and their domesticated cousins, of which this goat was a hybrid. He wondered if her young's father had been a wild goat, a domesticated one, or another hybrid.

"I will make contact with Jobrill and see when she can take my duty station here," Halling said into the short silence.

"Okay," Oneakka agreed, aware of a wave of tiredness settling in his body sat in this comfortable chair. He needed a good night's sleep after Sol, but he would head back to the Facility. He needed to get the goat settled and make sure that Seeal hadn't destroyed anything at the Facility while he'd been gone.

He glanced across to Halling, who was looking through several pads. "Has Massa been in contact with you?" He asked, remembering Emmagan's teasing comments on Sol.

Halling glanced up and back down. "Just briefly; we discussed Aki and Teyla's approaching stay in Atlantis."

Oneakka nodded. "Massa say anything else?"

Halling shook his head and looked up with a frown that suggested he had no idea what Oneakka was hinting at. "Like what?"

"Nothing," Oneakka shrugged, playing it casual.

He wasn't going to ask about Seeal, to check that she hadn't been set upon by any Recruits again while he was gone or anything. Not that any of the Recruits appeared in anyway inclined to try their luck again challenging her after the now infamous fight, but some young males could be stupid when they met a strong female who bested them.

If something had happened in the Facility, Halling would probably have heard and mentioned it already anyway.

Besides, Oneakka suspected, if he kept mentioning Seeal too often people would start getting the wrong idea; like Massa.

00000  
TBC


	4. The Conference

**Chapter 4 – The Conference  
  
**

John contemplated today's wide selection of food for attendees of Torren's big ongoing Intergalactic Conference.

He had been getting good at spotting his favourite Athosian food, but, for this Conference, new exotic foods from other planets across the Alliance had begun appearing. Torren always put on a good party, and the Governing Complex had never once come close to running out of food through all these days of the Conference, despite the _many_ visitors.

John contemplated the small label cards next to the different bowls of food, which provided, in various languages, descriptions of what the food was, which planet it was from, and which should be avoided by certain Alliance peoples due to known reactions and allergies. Atlantis had already found out by trial and error that there were a handful of Alliance foods that didn't agree with Earth stomachs, so there were warnings now for those from Earth to avoid certain foods. There had also been the inclusion of the comment "possible lemon" where relevant, which had left Rodney free to gorge himself on all the food safe for him.

The food descriptions included a close attempt at English, which were sometimes really funny. But with each passing day here, the visiting linguists from Atlantis were fast improving the translations, and the labels were starting to make more sense.

Still, the "living bright green leaves on hotting potatoes" was worth a snigger as John added a large spoonful of them on the last available space on his plate. The green-coated small vegetables were a favourite of his from his first days on the Sythus and tasted like curried potatoes, which presumably was what the "hotting" part of the funny translation was trying to get at.

He contemplated the last few bowls on the excessively massive buffet tables, and decided he had enough piled on his plate; which was important in order to avoid having to come back to the long queue and refill his plate. He'd leant that from the first day of the Conference.

Fortunately, today was the last day of Torren's big successful Intergalactic Conference, and it couldn't end soon enough. As interesting as it had been, John did not enjoy being the centre of so much attention, which included lots of eyes following his every move, the daily grind of having to smile politely all the time and make small talk with the constantly changing faces visiting the Conference. Everyone wanted to talk to him, and he had lost track of who anyone was, where they were from, or whether he'd already met them during these long full weeks.

It didn't help that there were so many people here, especially today. He turned from the buffet and looked around him at the crush of the large busy room that was the Conference's Mess. It was normally one of the Governing Complex's largest banqueting rooms, but was instead stuffed with tables and chairs for the meal breaks between talks, seminars, and debating sessions. Today, every chair was full and it was standing room only. Off ahead to the right, Rodney and Ford had found a small available bit of space away from the buffet tables where they were stood waiting for him and Cadman.

Rodney was already stuffing his face from his mountain of spectacularly colourful food.

"McKay," John sighed as he slid into the tiny free space at his friend's shoulder, "can you at least attempt to make a good impression."

Rodney, some pale pink sauce around his mouth, lowered what looked like the leg of some unfortunate blue-coloured bird. "We've been coming here for weeks; we're well past first impressions."

"Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of," John muttered as he glanced around the large room again.

Teyla had been gone three days now and he was starting to worry. She obviously knew how to take care of herself, but who knew what she was facing on her latest secret Elite mission. He hoped she was okay, that she might make it back in time for Torren's big closing ceremony tonight, and that she would definitely be back for tomorrow.

Tomorrow, when she was due to start her first official stay in Atlantis as part of their Political Marriage contract. She was going to stay for a whole week, accompanied only by Si and Ketra.

Sure, she'd stayed in Atlantis before during the whole non-aggression treaty talks, but that had been different. And things had been different between them too.

This time, they were Political Husband and Wife, representing their people and ensuring the new contract held strong. This was going to be the new normal for them, spending a hundred and fifty days a year with each other – half in Atlantis and half wherever Teyla was at the time.

And during their visits, they were going to be living in new adjoining quarters in the city and here in Tjaru. Sure, the last time she had visited Atlantis, they had shared quarters, but that had only been because they'd snuck her into his quarters for the nights. This time, they were married, but there would be no sharing a bed.

He didn't think.

Things had been pretty good between them these last weeks, as they'd faced dealing with the Conference together. He'd really enjoying spending so much time with her, and she had made everything more bearable. But, there were still those occasional moments of awkwardness between them.

Sharing adjoining quarters was probably going to dance hazardously close to those areas of awkwardness again, but John was determined to make it all work. Sure it would probably feel kind of...intimate...living one door apart at night. It had sure felt weird since he'd moved into his new half of those quarters. The quarters were nice actually, and were far bigger than his old room back in the Central Tower. He had more space now, more furniture, and that door into her side of the quarters. He'd kept it open since he'd moved in, and he wasn't really sure why. It wasn't like any of her stuff was in there yet and she hadn't even seen her new quarters. But, each night he'd found himself wandering into her empty side of the door and moving around her space, wondering how he could help it look more inviting for her.

Like that was going to make the difference. As an Elite, Teyla was used to bivouacking probably anywhere, whether in forests, on a mountain, or crammed up in that starship they'd smuggled themselves onto Dreamstation in. Her Atlantis quarters might look bare, but it wasn't like she was the type to get all uppity about that. She wasn't Nancy.

Maybe he was just worried about it because he wanted her to feel comfortable in the City, especially since things were still a bit uncomfortable between them at times. There were new lines in place.

Though, sharing quarters, did part of him kind of hope that things might cross over the line again? Did he even want that, considering all that had happened?

She was his wife now, so would it technically be against the rules anymore?

If the IOA found out, what would they do anyway? It wasn't like they could ban him from seeing her, after all it was their marriage that had formed these new ties and brought this Intergalactic Conference about. Earth and the IOA seemed nothing but eager now to embrace this new contract with the Alliance, and clearly Colonel Carter and Torren had big plans. Even the Elite were keen, according to Teyla, and once she and Si had started their stay, the new trade possibilities with the Elite would be explored.

It was all good really.

Confused feelings aside, the Conference was going well, the people here were all friendly, and he and Teyla were getting on well again.

Things were good.

Besides, there were good reasons why he and Teyla had decided their former 'affair' hadn't been smart. He still had no idea how he had managed not to get fired, or at least reprimanded, for having started this Political Marriage contract without permission first. If it things hadn't turned out so well, he was almost certain that his ass would have been thrown back to Earth.

He never seemed to learn that jumping into things with his heart instead of his head usually landed him in hot water. Well, maybe nice warm water in this case.

The marriage contract was working out for everyone so far, and this large banquet hall was certainly stuffed full of people eagerly chatting away, sharing knowledge. Sure, a lot of them were taking far too much interest in him at times, but it was all for the good of Atlantis and Earth.

He just wished Teyla was back here already, that he knew she was safe.

"McKay," Cadman exclaimed as she bumped slightly against John's shoulder. "Don't drip that stuff on me."

John returned his attention to his wayward team who were now all four stood in a tight small circle. Like him, Ford and Cadman were in their standard black uniforms, but without sidearms. Outside of the Athosian Complex's guards and visiting Elite, there were no weapons allowed within the Governing Complex on Tjaru during the Conference. Despite the almost university-like atmosphere here of late, John wished he had his sidearm. His uniform felt incomplete and he knew he'd feel a bit more relaxed if he had his sidearm; especially with Genii at the Conference.

"There's no room in here," Rodney protested to Cadman, "anyway, you bumped into me."

Rodney wiped at Cadman's sleeve with one of the Athosian cloth napkins. The attempt was pretty pathetic and achieved nothing but to smear the drops of the unidentified pink sauce further across Cadman's arm.

"Thanks, McKay; that really helped," Cadman muttered as she wiped the rest away with her own cloth, balancing her plate precariously as she did so.

"You going to eat that blue chicken leg?" Rodney asked her.

"That is why I put it on my plate," Cadman stated back, pulling her plate as far from Rodney as she could in the limited space of their crushed circle.

"Try and keep it professional, guys," John advised, more from hope than any real order; but he was supposed to be the leader of the group, and now technically an 'Ambassador' for Atlantis. If Dad knew, he'd never believe it. Most days, John didn't believe it either.

"Sure is packed in here today," Ford muttered, looking uncomfortable as someone brushed past his back.

"Last official day of the Conference," Cadman reminded him. "Everyone wants in."

"Just what we needed, a full house to witness McKay's rant," Ford uttered.

"Everything I said in that seminar was accurate," Rodney stated with his usual arrogance.

"And you made sure to shout that as loud as possible in there," Cadman noted. Fortunately, John hadn't been in that particular seminar on Ancient consoles this morning. Instead, he'd been subjected to two hours of a debate on how to hold a territory line in space – actually it had been quite interesting.

"Trust me, I know more about splicing into Ancient tech than any of those so called 'Ancestor Engineers' here," Rodney waved the tattered remains of the blue chicken leg around to indicate the room at large.

"Whatever you say, McKay," Ford muttered doubtfully. "I thought Colonel Carter was going to be here today?" He peered around the busy room.

John could see the various members of the IOA in the room, as well as a smattering of Atlantis scientists and a few Marines keeping a subtle watch over them. The politicians and scientists looked in deep conversation, while the Marines looked vaguely bored.

"The Colonel is coming in later for the closing ceremony," John replied to Ford.

Someone pushed past behind Cadman's back and John pulled back a bit to avoid her plate.

"We need to find a table," he sighed as he scanned the packed large room around him again in hopes of an empty table. He made sure to keep his gaze moving as he did though, because most of the Conference visitors usually tried to catch his eye if they caught him looking around. He'd found that making eye contact with a politician here was basically an invitation for them to head over to him and start up a long conversation.

Then there were also the others who purposefully tried to catch his eyes, which included two particular women who were now waving at him from a far table. Why did they always seem to be here? They had a way of randomly appearing every day of the Conference, full of overly smiley expressions and copious constant questions about Earth. They only ever appeared when he was not standing with Teyla, and he'd gotten the impression that they weren't all that interested in what he actually said to them, rather they just wanted the chance to talk to him.

He nodded and smiled politely at the two women and then quickly moved his gaze away from them.

Things were easier when Teyla was here. Her whole Elite vibe thing tended to keep all the well wishers and long conversationalists at bay. People still crowded in to say hi, but the resulting exchange was always shorter with her at his side. Now she was away, people were clearly talking the chance to talk to him more.

So, he kept looking across the crowd nice and fast, but then a warm presence leant close to the back of his right shoulder. Vakalis: his now ever-present shadow when he was on Athos.

The Honour Guard were always waiting for him when John stepped through the Gate onto Athos each morning and they stayed with him until he stepped back through the Gate at the end of the day. During those hours, the five person team kept a constant watch around him, with two of them always within a couple of metres of him at all times, and two others were usually spread further out in the room. John had noticed that they often paid particular attention to any Genii in the same room. Then there was Vakalis, the Lead Guard, who was never more than a few feet away from John at any time.

They were a good team, and Teyla had clearly chosen efficient smart people, but who all had a similar kind of relaxed edge to them. Still, as much as he respected them and found their presence kind of comforting, John still felt weird at having his own bodyguards.

"We've located an empty table over by the open doors to the courtyard," Vakalis reported quietly over John's shoulder, his hand vaguely appearing in John's peripheral view, indicating the direction of said table.

John looked partly over his shoulder at his ever-present watchdog. "Thank you, Vaky."

Vakalis was especially good at his job, and there were clear signs of a good sense of humour behind the guy's eyes, but it was overlaid with that Athosian extreme sense of decorum; which only made John feel the need to downplay the seriousness. Naming him Vaky had been a good start.

"Meroe is holding the table for you," Vakalis added, not showing any signs as to whether the nickname annoyed him.

John returned his attention to his team. "Seems like we've got a table ready for us," he told them as he indicated the direction with his full plate.

"About time," Rodney muttered around a full mouth of food.

Cadman led the way through the press of people, Rodney after her, followed by Ford and John took up the rear. Vakalis was on his six, and John spotted the other Guard member, Shemu, shadowing them a metre or so away through the busy room. But, despite the protection detail, John still had to weave and squeeze his way between other guests, while making sure not to accidently lose his food down some politician's fancy outfit.

He also had to do the whole polite smiling thing at everyone who nodded or said hi as he passed by them. Thank God it really was the last day of this; he hated being the centre of so much attention. The sooner Teyla got back the better. Though, with each hour that passed, the chances were lowering that she would return here in time for the Closing Ceremony tonight and her Atlantis trip tomorrow.

"Major Sheppard," a sudden big, somewhat familiar, smile stepped forward into his path in the tight press of humanity.

"Oh, um, hi," John pulled up short, saving his plate from disappearing into the woman's overly displayed cleavage. "Nice to see you again."

"It has been another fine day in this Conference," the woman grinned. She had a wide heart-shaped face that he kind of remembered her telling him was common among her people – he had no idea who her people were. Something about mining? Was she one of Rhakshar's people?

"Yes, it has," John replied, hoping she wasn't going to test him on where she was from. He glanced beyond her highly piled hair to see that Ford was waiting for him, but was clearly laughing at the stop.

"I hope you will be attending the Closing Ceremony this evening," said the woman of unknown name and planet.

"Sure," John smiled as best he could. "Look forward to it," he offered, hoping to end this conversation quickly. "You'll have to excuse me, we've got a table to get to," John tried, only to suddenly worry that she might see that as an invitation to join him there.

"Of course," the woman giggled loudly, "I will see you this evening."

"Sure," John winced; had she thought he was flirting? "Have a nice day," he offered quickly as he moved around her as best he could without brushing up against her and continued on towards Ford's amused and traitorous grin.

"They're like vultures," Ford chuckled as John reached him.

"Whatever," John pushed at Ford's back encouraging him on to where he could now see that Cadman and Rodney had reached the empty table. The crowd was thinner here, probably because of two of John's Honour Guard, Shemu and Meroe, were stationed on either side of the table, cornering it off from the rest of the crowded room. The weapons on their waists and their efficient calmness did the rest.

John was just happy for some space to breathe as he reached the table.

Rodney was sliding around to the far side, the doors behind him open to a Courtyard. John could see that rain was still falling outside, but it was light and the air not too humid. He guessed if the weather was better, people would have been standing outside.

Cadman sat down next to Rodney, the table rather too big for just the four of them. But, John didn't care. It meant there was plenty of space if others of Atlantis' crew or the IOA lot wanted somewhere to sit.

John pulled out a chair, which he'd picked so that most of his back was to the crowded rest of the room, as Ford began to sit down next to him. Only, the kid froze partway down into his seat, his eyes sliding to something over John's shoulder.

"Incoming. Cat woman!" Ford whispered a loud harsh warning.

"What-?" John started to ask, but his brain caught up with Ford's meaning as a voice called to him from behind.

"Major Sheppard," the purring feminine voice uttered and John spun round, plate still in hand, to find a familiar woman stood directly behind him.

"Mistress Nigh," John tried to smile at the tall woman. She had been a regular presence at the Conference, being a big political figure from Aria. John wasn't overly sure what she did on Aria, but clearly she had a lot of power and carried herself like she knew it.

"You are looking most well this day, Major Sheppard," Nigh smiled. She had wide lips that were always painted a dark red and, as she smiled, she really did look rather like a cat. It was a bright friendly smile, but full of overly white teeth and had a kind of predatory feel to it.

"But then you do most days," she added, her voice lowering slightly.

She seemed suddenly closer than before, just a little too close for comfort really.

"Uh, thanks," he replied.

She had loose long dark brown hair that always seemed to shine far brighter than natural hair should, and her large almond-shaped eyes were a surreal blue-green that had to be contacts. She also had a way of moving that was very lithe and flexible, which all only added to the cat-like vibe, so he and Ford had taken to referring to her as 'Cat Woman'.

"Are you well?" He asked politely into the strange little pause after her compliment.

"I have enjoyed every day of this Conference, but then every day that we can exchange knowledge and experience is a good day for me," she replied.

She had a way of making anything she said or did feel as if it dripped with sexual suggestion, which was emphasised further by her very tight shapely bodysuits. Today's was a shiny dark blue material that glimmered unnaturally, and the front was cut so low that he could see her belly button. Not that he was looking that low, especially as she had somehow slinked closer again without him actually seeing her do it.

Fortunately, he still had his plate of food in his hand and held it at chest height to help create a barrier. He probably had green "hotting" potatoes soaking into the front of his uniform, but he didn't dare take his eyes off the predator in front of him.

"I trust that your good wife is undertaking a great victory with her blades," Nigh asked, her accent some weird French English like sound but with something rather like an Australian edge to it.

"I'm sure she is," he tried to smile.

"She is an _exceptionally_ skilled warrior," Nigh agreed, nodded her head, the overhead lights glossing across her curtain of thick hair.

"Yes, she is," John agreed, feeling on safe ground with this subject.

"It is difficult though for us who are in a Political Marriage with such skilled warriors," Nigh sighed softly as she shifted closer. It had been a small subtle series of steps that somehow made her float right into his personal space so that she was now up against the other side of his food barrier, and he was pretty certain that warmth against his hand holding the plate was all her body heat.

John froze, not sure what to do. He didn't want to cause a scene. He vaguely looked off to both sides, looking for help, but his team were all at the table behind him and all he could see was the wall of standing lunchtime crowds.

Where was Vaky when he was actually needed?!

"My husband," Nigh sighed, "He is also away on his victorious campaigns all too often, but it is good that there is such _freedom_ in a Political Marriage." Nigh smiled that wide cat smile again, her head and body angled with a model's skill to show off her best assets.

Had she just implied what he thought she had?

"Um-," John started.

"If you ever find yourself waiting alone in those long empty stretches," Nigh continued her voice low, "I always welcome an _exchange_ of information and," she paused, her eyes flowing down John and up again, " _culture_." She rolled out the last word in the softest exhale that almost sounded like a moan.

John's tactical brain kicked in, reporting on the best exits out of the situation, but with consideration of the best excuses to depart away from this woman as quickly as possible.

Only, he became aware of faces looking round in the crowd behind Nigh, and that the volume of chatter had dropped slightly. Maybe people were finally going to come to his rescue.

Nigh, also realising that something had changed too, turned slightly to look behind her only to reveal that someone shorter had approached her from behind.

Relief hit John like a wave.

Teyla stood behind Nigh, dressed in dark close cropped colours, gun on her hip and the hilt of one sword visible over a shoulder. As usual, Teyla stood with an elegant and dangerous grace to her, her chin held high and her gaze straight and bold.

And that Elite, Wraith-killing gaze, was locked on Nigh as the woman turned.

"Honoured Elite Emmagan," Nigh said instantly, all smiles and politeness as she stepped back and to the side, bowing to Teyla. "It is so pleasing to see you returned from what was surely a great victory."

Teyla held her ground, unmoving except for her head as she followed Nigh with her eyes.

John noticed that a lot of the crowd were watching the exchange with clear interest, but while trying to appear as if they weren't watching.

John was just desperately relieved Teyla was here, and clearly she was in one piece from her mission.

She looked good.

"Mistress Nigh," Teyla intoned coldly.

"I was just remarking to your noble husband that it is nothing but a blessing to us to share marriages with victorious warriors," Nigh said rising from her deep bow.

John didn't like the way Nigh had put him and her into 'us' in that sentence.

"My noble husband knows plenty himself of war, Mistress," Teyla stated to Nigh, her eyes still fixed on the woman with a look that reminded John that the sword on her back could cut through bone.

"Of course, Honoured Elite," Nigh inclined her head, finally deciding it best to back away.

John controlled his expression carefully as Nigh moved away, her head still lowered until she finally turned in one smooth cat-like twist and slipped away into the crowd – all of which were suddenly all interested in their plates again.

John finally let out a breath of relief and returned all of his attention to his newly arrived wife.

Teyla moved towards him, but her eyes were still on the spot where Nigh had disappeared from view.

"Hey," John grinned at her, feeling that usual ridiculous burst of happiness in seeing her again; to know that she was alive and unhurt.

Having decided that Nigh was gone, Teyla finally looked up at him and smiled back. It was the controlled smile she used in public, but he could tell she meant it.

"Thanks for the save," he told her, still grinning down into her dark eyes.

"You need to watch out for her," Teyla told him.

"Yeah, she's scary," John said with feeling.

Teyla' lips rose higher at one end, a half smile that he knew would have been far bigger if they were alone.

"She's like out of a cartoon or something," he added.

Teyla angled her head in that elegant way she did when she didn't understand what he was saying. "Cartoon?" She asked with a delicate frown.

"It's like a movie, but with drawn pictures," he paused, knowing he wasn't going to be able to explain this properly. "I'll show you a cartoon when you come and stay." He hadn't meant to reference the visit so quickly; he'd planned to ease into it. Instead, he'd just blundered into the subject.

"Of course," she nodded, but the edge of awkwardness was abruptly there; he could see it in the faint sense of caution to her expression even though she still had that polite public smile in place. Was she feeling weird about the visit too? Or was she about to back out of it? For all his stress and worrying about it, the thought that her stay might be cancelled made him realise how much he had been looking forward to her living in the adjoining quarters with him.

"We're still on for that?" He asked quickly, wincing inwardly at himself.

The visit was an important political thing, with Atlantis planning for it with meticulous detail this past week, and the marriage contract meant a massive deal to Athos, and yet here he was asking her as if it was a date.

God, was it like a date? Was that why he was feeling weird about it?

No, it was more like bringing a girlfriend home to stay with your family. Except, she wasn't going out with him, instead she was his wife and they weren't sleeping together any more. It felt weird, mixed up and confusing. Judging by the way she took in a breath and gave him a strained smile, maybe she felt the same weirdness as him.

"Yes, tomorrow," she nodded.

Relief again struck him so hard that his legs were feeling slightly wobbly. He really needed to sit down.

"You want to join us?" John gestured to the table behind him.

"Thank you," Teyla agreed and moved to the chair next to his.

Rodney and Cadman both rose up slightly from their seats as Teyla sat down and they exchanged hellos. Teyla had been sitting with them for meals most days during the Conference, sometimes with a whole table of people from Atlantis, so it wasn't unusual for her. Still, John felt ridiculously pleased that she was joining them, so turned back round to his waiting chair.

He finally put his plate of food down on the table and glanced down at the front of his jacket to check he hadn't left a line of sauce and food bits against his chest. He was debris free, so moved to sit down finally, only to spot Vakalis stood right behind his chair, and the man met John's gaze. John was almost certain he'd seen a flicker of amusement in the Athosian man's eyes.

"Where were you?" John whispered loudly at his lead bodyguard as he indicated where Nigh had been stood.

Vakalis lifted his shoulders a fraction. "Right here."

"Next time, _help_ me," John told the guy.

"You weren't in any danger," Vaky replied, definitely with a glimmer of humour in there.

"Danger takes many forms, Vaky," John argued dramatically as he pulled out his chair and finally sat down.

"Understood," Vakalis replied from behind the chair, but John heard the amusement for certain this time. He gave the guy a look over his shoulder.

Ford leant in. "Vultures circling."

John waved him away and the kid chuckled.

"Glad everyone's finding it funny," John muttered as he picked up a spoon-forky Athosian utensil and examined his long neglected food.

Teyla shifted in the seat next to him and he looked round at her. He'd sat closer to her than he'd realised, and he felt her knee graze slightly against his as she leant towards him. The familiar sweet smell that was just simply her drifted to his nose, and all the busy room annoyance and worries about tomorrow slipped away.

"Are you well, John?" She asked, her dark eyes moving over his face.

"Yeah, I'm good," he confirmed instantly, sliding his eyes over her face in turn. He couldn't see any bruises on her golden soft skin. "You okay?"

"Yes," she replied simply.

"Mission went well then?" He asked next.

He hadn't gotten to hug her hello, or even share the whole Athosian forehead touch thingy. He'd have to make sure to fill that hug deficit later when they had some time alone.

"It was very successful," she smiled with clear satisfaction.

"Wraith related, I assume?" He fished as he finally started eating his lunch.

"It was," she confirmed with a little half smile as if she was kind of pleased that he had asked.

"Fewer Wraith out there to hurt anyone, huh?" He asked.

"Indeed," she answered. "How have matters been here?" She glanced around at the busy room.

"I've been splitting my time between listening to various military talks and the other half keeping Rodney from starting an intergalactic incident," he joked.

Teyla pulled her attention back to him, which presumably meant Nigh was still out of sight. "You attended technical seminars?" Teyla asked doubtfully.

"Well, no," John admitted. "But, I've been keeping track of him the rest of the time."

"And who has been keeping track of you?" Teyla asked. It had felt playful and maybe faintly flirtatious? It was that delicate line they danced around with each other now.

"I can look after myself," he informed her, keeping the light banter feeling going.

"I noticed," she replied with a nod of her head to indicate where Nigh had been when Teyla had arrived.

"That's your fault for leaving me unsupervised," he countered.

Her lips stretched into another smile, her eyes bright. "At least you did not end up down in a trapper's hole this time."

He made a show of sighing and rolling his eyes, but he felt nothing but stupidly happy at her teasing him. It felt light and how things used to be.

"You've got to let that go," he pretended to protest.

"I do not see why not," Teyla replied. A faint chime echoed room and Teyla glanced away. They were halfway through the lunch break. "I need to find Father before the afternoon's seminars; I've only just arrived back and should see him."

John nodded. "Sure." Did that mean that she'd come to find him before she'd checked in with her family?

"Which meetings are we attending today?" She asked, looking back to him, a delicate little frown creasing the bridge of her nose again. "I have lost track with the mission."

"Um," John reached up to his left front pocket and pulled out his Alliance pad and tapped the screen awake. "We're scheduled to go to a talk on the history of the Alliance's border expansions, then a discussion on intergalactic trading possibilities, Elkaska's leading that one."

"I remember now," she nodded. "Then we end the day with the open forum on the future of intergalactic politics."

John nodded as he slid the pad back into his pocket. "Then we end it all with the big Closing Ceremony and banquet. Your Dad loves a good banquet."

Teyla grinned at that. "That he does. I do need to go find him. Shall I meet you at the first talk once the midday meal break ends?"

"Sure," John agreed, though he kind of wished she could stay longer. "You want me to come with you now?"

"No," she dismissed the idea quickly though as she started to stand up. "You have your food to eat and there are many hours of talks and discussions to get through today for which you will need the sustenance."

He pulled a face at that, but she smiled as she stood up beside him. John stood up with her.

Teyla nodded goodbye to the others at the table and turned to him.

"Say hi to Torren for me," John told her. "I only saw him for a minute or two this morning."

Teyla smiled. "Of course," she turned to leave, but he felt her hand touch against his arm, the warmth flooding through the fabric to his skin.

He watched her move away, seeing her share nods with the Honour Guard who were in view, and then she slipped into the crowd.

He turned back to his table, the others distracted. Cadman and Rodney were disagreeing over something, so John focused on sitting back down and actually eating his food. He'd see Teyla in half an hour or so.

Ford leant in from the right. John had actually forgotten the kid was sat on his other side.

"Vultures haven't got a chance," Ford teased.

0000

Ladon had spent most of his life underground. Like any Genii on the homeworld, he had an innate preference to be below ground. The deep hidden citadels had protected the Genii people for many generations, and, despite many now living above ground in the new main cities, it was not always comfortable living in the sunlight.

That said, tunnels and deep cities were one thing, but these roughly hewn and constricted secret escape tunnels were not comfortable. Just over a decade ago, Supreme Leader Cowen had declared that all leaders and merchants should now live above ground and he had founded the first cities. All Government meetings, military drills, and public offices were to be above ground in a show of Genii confidence in the Alliance and in their superiority over the ancient fear of cullings.

However, Cowen and his closest followers might appear to live on the surface, but Ladon knew that all had their own deeply cut bunkers and living spaces still underground. From these, new tunnels had been quickly dug to older local underground tunnel systems, thereby providing an escape route should the Alliance Military and the Elite fail one day and the Wraith attack.

Ambassador Hulte, who had been rising with increasing political speed these last months, was no exception to this rule. His above ground residence in the First City was not too far from the seat of Government or Cowen's Palace, but far enough away to be placed above some old tunnels. As expected, Hulte had fashioned a bunker quickly under his home and an escape tunnel from it to the local tunnels. What was not known was that Hulte had gone further and, using only family members for the work, he'd had a second deeper bunker cut and a tiny escape tunnel dug out from it to a very old and abandoned set of unfinished tunnels from before the days of the Alliance. As only the family had helped construct it, in theory, Cowen should be unaware of the extra bunker and escape tunnel.

Which is why it was the best place for Ladon's co-conspirators to meet.

Unfortunately, the narrow secret escape tunnel had been constructed in the fastest and basic way possible. The tunnel was only just the width of a man's shoulders and the floor was uneven, leading you to step up and over a large uncut section of the tunnel every few paces. Getting through the confining and poorly ventilated tunnel was not pleasant, but it did provide the best opportunity for secret meetings that Ladon's group wished to remain undetected.

A faint buzz in Ladon's pocket was a warning from his electronic sensor pad that he was approaching the protection field ahead. Hulte had had counter-surveillance tech installed from the middle section of the tunnel, which disabled any tech carried through it and could even distort the strongest of ground penetrating scans from orbit. Ladon was confident in the efficiency of the protection field as he had been the one to create the tech, as well as the ground penetrating scanners it was designed to block. So he was well placed to ensure that he and his group had the best protection from any suspicious eyes or ears.

Ladon paused, breathing heavily in the oxygen thin chilled air, and twisted his body enough to reach into his coat pocket and pull out his electronic pad enough to check the reading and then deactivate the pad – he didn't want anything on it damaged by the protection field. He then pushed on ahead into the protected zone.

He hadn't been able to risk bringing some breathing apparatus with him, because he'd found his way here via the regular tunnels, slipping away to the unfinished tunnels and through to here. The group couldn't risk giving Cowen's spies anything to even suggest they were meeting outside of official Government hours. And Cowen was growing more paranoid and aggressive of late.

Kolya's attempts to destabilise Cowen's rule had gone far further than anyone had predicted, even among Ladon's co-conspirators. Kolya had worked a clever and destructive campaign that was having shocking affects on the Confederation, but particularly in the cities here on the homeworld. Kolya had been doing everything he could to upset his own people, and making sure that Cowen was the one blamed. Increasing illegal substance use, missing food shipments, aggressive anti-government movements, and Cowen's own tendencies to use an overly firm hand, had led to riots in several of the main cities. Cowen had responded predictably by using local military might to suppress and place a curfew on the population. Rights were restricted and access to the Portal was tightly controlled. This had only made matters worse, with population rallies and several recent attacks on public buildings.

Kolya was ramping up his campaign, and even from the great distance of his banishment outside of the Alliance, he was striking quite effectively at the heart of Cowen's power. However, Ladon had been growing concerned at the lack of detail Kolya had been communicating regarding the riots and the extent of his ultimate plan to finally throw Cowen from his throne. In fact, Ladon had secretly begun to suspect that Kolya might have further spies watching his own fellow co-conspirators.

With an almost audible pop, Ladon squeezed his body through the tightest point of the tunnel and stepped up and over another bank of uncut stone. Ahead, the tunnel was getting a little wider, heading in towards Hulte's deep bunker.

Sweat was slick on Ladon's forehead now, but the air was improving. Hulte had installed proper ventilation and waste air collection in the deep bunker ahead, and its affects could now be felt down this part of the tunnel.

As much as Ladon worried at the efficiency of Kolya's plan to replace Cowen, he looked forward to the day when he would no longer have to squeeze himself into this bunker.

He'd prefer to have Sora with him too, but it was too risky for them both to slip away down here. Besides, she had her Government military sentry duties to fill her time today.

She had shown her own signs of frustration over the long wait to kick Cowen from power, and she had developed a clear dislike of Hulte, but the Ambassador was useful and a vital part of the plot against Cowen. She also hated that Ladon had made it clear that her father, Tyrus should not know about their affair. Ladon needed Tyrus focused and not questioning Ladon's time with his daughter. Tyrus was a good military man, but he could get emotional about things and was very protective of his only daughter, despite her age and expert military skill.

A sound of scraping metal echoed ahead and Ladon saw the bunker's door ahead had been opened further and General Maloo's bland face appeared above a hand gun.

"It is me," Ladon called out to the newest member of their group.

Hulte and the General had an old friendship and it seemed that, following Maloo's failed attempt to win the Political Marriage with Athos and the Elite, Cowen had taken a dislike to him. Hulte had taken the opportunity to invite Maloo to join their ground, and the General was certainly well placed in the military to assist when the day came that Cowen was replaced.

"It's Radim," Maloo announced over his shoulder and stepped out of view.

The many low voices from inside the deep bunker told Ladon that he was likely the last to arrive. He pushed on towards the growing light and finally the tunnel widened to a more comfortable space and he stepped through the bunker's doorway.

"Good, we are all here," Hulte stated with a nod to Ladon. "Let's start."

Ladon pushed the bunker's tunnel door shut, securing it with the three bolts holding it closed against any infiltration from the narrow tunnel, and turned to the small bunker.

As the bunker was secretly set below Hulte's family's main bunker, there was little amenity other than a side storage room. There was nothing electronic down here, the protection field would kill it otherwise, and nothing of interest other than the eight men sat around in a circle.

It annoyed Sora to her bones that there were no females of power in this group, but since the group had been put together mostly by Kolya's most loyal older contemporaries, there appeared to be no female presence. Ladon suspected Kolya didn't trust females, since he rarely had one in his life.

One wooden folding chair was waiting for Ladon as he moved around Hulte who stood in front of the others.

"I am sure you all heard the latest report," Hulte started. "Cowen has, just an hour ago, issued another proclamation that the Second City is in full lockdown and undergoing a military sweep."

"My reports tell me that the group responsible attacked the Enforcement building," Pendrick stated. Pendrick worked at the highest level of Government security and had for as long as anyone could remember. He had been a close friend and colleague of Kolya and had an intense hatred for Cowen that he somehow hid successfully on a daily basis working for the Supreme Leader.

Tyrus sighed heavily from the chair next to Ladon. "That is not good. Attacking Genii forces is one thing, but Alliance Enforcement as a target is foolish. The Military Council will be informed and will no doubt get involved in Enforcement's response."

"Cowen had already heard from the Council," Pendrick supplied. "I couldn't make out what was said exactly through the closed door, but his voice was loud and raised enough for me to know who he was speaking with."

"When isn't he angry nowadays?" Someone else muttered.

"If his weak rule is seen as a threat to general law and that Enforcement are under threat here, then we could see Alliance military boots on the homeworld," another suggested.

"That will never happen," Maloo stated firmly. Despite receiving much of Cowen's wrath of late for his failure to obtain a marriage to the Elite, the General was still in a good position. Elite warrior Emmagan had granted him several notable trading deals, and he had amassed a multitude of other trades in his attempt to push others out of the running for the Political Marriage. If it hadn't been for the unexpected involvement of Atlantis, Maloo would have won the Political Marriage. For those reasons, he had kept his position and had gained considerable more respect in the halls of the Confederation Government. No doubt Hulte, presumably with Kolya's backing, had promised Maloo even more power once Cowen fell.

"The Alliance has enough to focus on with fighting between the Councils and the repeated attacks on our border following the recent mighty victory against the Wraith," Maloo continued. "They will let Cowen collapse under his own weakness."

"Surely they will respond to an Enforcement building being set alight," Tyrus argued.

"No one was hurt and Cowen will face the expense of rebuilding it," Maloo shrugged.

"I am more concerned about the escalation," Hulte uttered, still stood. "This, along with Kolya's determination to proceed with his plan despite Atlantis now being direct allies with the Elite...it seems to be madness."

"Madness," several people agreed.

"Kolya has assured us that the plan has been adapted enough to protect us from the Elite," Pendrick put in.

"How?" Tyrus demanded loudly. "How is killing an Elite warrior's husband not going to have the entire force of the Elite, Atlantis, and perhaps all of Athos' closest allies, turning on us?"

"Cowen will be blamed," Pendrick reminded them.

"Because Elite warriors are well known to forgive and forget?" Tyrus replied sarcastically.

"Once Kolya has Sheppard, Cowen will do everything he can to avoid any blame," Pendrick reiterated the plan with an edge of impatience in his voice. "We just need him off-world and on the primary planet and Ladon's device will take care of him."

"Cowen is growing more paranoid each day," Tyrus argued. "I suspect the last thing he will do is go off-world, even to assist the Elite. I cannot see how this plan will succeed now Atlantis is tied with the Elite."

"Kolya always succeeds," Pendrick stated.

"Like he did in Atlantis?" Maloo was the one to challenge that.

Ladon glanced at the faces around him; the battling within the group had been growing worse in the last few weeks as the riots had increased.

"It was Cowen who ordered that attack," Pendrick replied, the two men staring aggressively at one another. "It was his foolishness in striking blind at an enemy we did not understand at that time. We understand them now."

"I agree," Maloo conceded, "but we also know how Elite warriors react. Before, they might have considered assisting Atlantis, but now they will definitely strike quickly to reclaim Emmagan's husband."

"It will not matter how quickly they react; Kolya will have his revenge on Sheppard," Pendrick stated. "Cowen's weakness will be blamed, but he too will be dead, and Sheppard's body will be presumed lost in the same explosion. Who can the Elite blame?"

"Us!" Tyrus said with alarm.

"There is no evidence against us," Pendrick crossed his arms. "Cowen is all anyone needs to blame and he will be removed."

Ladon shifted in his seat.

"The question is when this is going to happen," Hulte put into the following tense silence.

"Kolya has his people in place," Ladon reported, faces turning to him for the first time in this meeting. "He has informants on planets where Atlantis are due to visit, or are likely to visit, in the near future. It is a waiting game now until Sheppard is spotted and captured."

"The Athosian Conference finishes today," Pendrick added, "which means Sheppard will presumably be returning to his usual duties."

"Unfortunately, I have just heard that Elite warrior Emmagan has returned to Athos following a mission," Hulte supplied. "So the window there has closed, but hopefully she will be assigned elsewhere quickly."

"One of my sources at the Conference spoke with Torren yesterday evening," Maloo supplied, "he reported that Honoured Elite Emmagan will not be available on Athos from tomorrow."

"Another mission hopefully," Hulte suggested with relief.

"Or simply returning to her ship or the Elite facility," Ladon put in logically.

"Either way, the longer it is until Kolya obtains Sheppard, the greater the chances that Emmagan will be distracted elsewhere," Hulte stated.

"I still do not see why Cowen would go off-world at Atlantis' call," another asked.

"Because we will suggest it, strongly," Pendrick replied. "The right people are in place in and around Cowen. We will suggest that if he is present when Sheppard is saved, or saves him himself, it will look very good for him. He will use his supreme battalion and storm Kolya's primary planet."

"Are the receivers ready, Ladon?" Hulte asked.

"Yes," Ladon replied. "The Portal multiple dial will bounce Kolya's signal to Atlantis' Portal."

"Very clever, Ladon," Pendrick stated.

"What about the scribes?" Hulte asked next.

"Everyone is ready and in place," Pendrick supplied. "They will make sure what we want recorded is recorded and reworded as needed for the official Government records."

"What if Atlantis invade?" Tyrus asked.

"Invade here?" Maloo asked incredulous. "They never would. They know Kolya has been excommunicated. If they join Cowen on the primary world, then they will lose their own along with Cowen and his supreme force. We will all mourn together." There was the faintest of a snarling smile on the man's usually expressionless face. Clearly Maloo was still holding his failure at winning the Political Marriage against Atlantis.

"We simply need to wait," Pendrick stated with firm conviction. "We wait for Kolya to confirm capture of Sheppard and then respond as planned."

"Everything is in place," Ladon assured Hulte.

Hulte considered that for a moment and then nodded. "Then, I suggest that this is our last meeting unless an emergency one is required. We will follow our usual chain of information and everything must be passed along quickly and efficiently. Again, no one else is to be included unless we have already authorised it."

Nodding heads were his answer.

"Then to victory," Hulte stated more confidently.

"To victory," everyone chorused, though Ladon found little enthusiasm in it.

With that, the meeting ended and the bolts were slid aside on the bunker door and Ladon's co-conspirators slipped into the tunnel beyond, a good space between each.

Ladon held back with Tyrus though, talking about the local battalion's schedule, whilst Hulte saw all out except Maloo. Maloo, being a friend of Hulte's, usually came down into the bunker from above with him so rarely left via the tunnel.

Hulte turned from the still open tunnel door. "Ladon, I need to speak with you again about the trigger for the detonation," he announced so as to be overheard by those departing through the tunnel.

"Yes, of course," Ladon replied with a nod to Tyrus. Tyrus headed into the tunnel, ensuring that none were hanging around to listen. Pendrick was the one to be particularly cautious about in that regard.

Ladon talked for a few minutes about the measures to stop the early triggering of the device that would deal the final blow to Cowen off-world. All of these details were Kolya's to deal with now, since the device had been delivered to him many months ago, but it was good cover in case any others of the group might be listening still. Maloo stood by the open tunnel door during the long minutes and finally nodded. Tyrus had reached the halfway point of the tunnel and reported that he'd seen the others leave. Maloo slid the bolts closed over the tunnel door and joined Ladon and Hulte on three chairs amongst the others now empty.

"Did Sora visit the bunker?" Hulte asked immediately.

"No," Ladon replied. "The exchange was at the factory hideout, but the latest information was relayed directly from Kolya by Pranos. Sora timed her visit so that she stayed one night before coming back. It provided time for cards and conversation with the soldiers after Pranos left. They reported that Kolya is as strong and determined as ever."

Hulte nodded, but he looked faintly disappointed.

"However," Ladon continued and the two men looked at him anew, "she was able to obtain some gossip as some of the soldiers had been on rotation through Kolya's main bunkers."

"How can we be sure they told her truths?" Maloo asked.

"They all trained together, she was one of Kolya's personally trained inner circle," Ladon reminded them. What he did not add was that Sora had several old lovers among the old battalion, and perhaps some current ones, Ladon was not sure. It did not matter to him ultimately, for he and Sora wanted the same thing and shared similar tastes at night.

"Are any of them turning from Kolya?" Hulte asked.

"No," Ladon shook his head. "They are all as loyal as ever, almost fanatically now. What she did learn was that Kolya might not be as confident as he presents. Apparently he is often heard pacing the hallways of the bunker in the early hours. He has killed all his captured Wraith save the tamed one he uses, which implies he is indeed keeping to the original plan."

"A hostage taken for a perceived coup, needing weapons from Atlantis to fight Cowen," Hulte nodded.

"It is not all that perceived," Maloo pointed out.

"We all want Cowen removed," Hulte stated, "but not to simply replace one madman with another. Kolya's work is destroying our people. Quantum use is increasing dramatically and these riots and attacks on public buildings... This is not the Genii way."

"Kolya does not see it that way," Ladon pointed out. "He is creating a problem that he can fix once he is in power himself."

Hulte nodded. "Which brings us to when we are to strike."

Ladon nodded. He had been running this through his mind over the last few days, as they all waited anxiously for the news that Kolya had captured Sheppard and the clock began ticking to deal with Cowen.

"We know where Kolya's main bunkers are, what he is planning," Ladon thought through out loud, "the question is when we inform Atlantis."

"We need to make sure that Cowen leaves for the primary planet," Maloo stated. "We cannot have Atlantis save Sheppard too soon or Cowen will never go. We will need to time it right."

"And if Kolya escapes Atlantis?" Ladon asked. "He might work out that they were informed of his location, and will easily conclude that it was one of our group."

"Maloo is right," Hulte answered. "We just need to time it perfectly. We follow Kolya's plan to the point that Cowen leaves in his attempt to save Sheppard himself, the weapon will be triggered and then we inform Atlantis. We will look as if we have just dragged the intell out of a spy we have found, and send Atlantis the Portal addresses, and they can deal with Kolya. The Elite are bound to be with them so they will no doubt capture, and preferably kill, Kolya."

"It could work," Ladon considered. "Though, Kolya could still escape."

"It will be too late, even if he does," Hulte smiled. "If Sheppard is still alive, he will implicate Kolya, and if he is not, we will have all the evidence we need that Cowen and Kolya were in a battle for power. The Elite, if not Enforcement, will then find and deal with Kolya."

"At which point he will name us," Ladon pointed out.

"We have everything covered for that, and we can argue that we were forced into the battle between Cowen and Kolya," Hulte replied. "We are small men caught up in the manipulations of the more powerful, just following orders and trying to survive. Plus we will be the ones to have provided Atlantis with what they needed to find Kolya, and, perhaps, helped save Sheppard. Yes, it should work."

Ladon nodded, though, in truth, he was not so sure it was that simple. Kolya was never predictable, except in his lust for revenge against Cowen.

Pendrick was right enough though, there was little to do now but wait.

All these years of secrecy and planning could hopefully soon come to an end.

Regardless of the final details of what Atlantis and the Elite would do, perhaps in only days or weeks now, Cowen would finally be gone.

000000  
TBC


	5. The Festival

**Chapter 5 – The Festival**

It was a bright and clear day over the Satedan moon. A large light yellow sun shone warm above and a nice cool breeze was gently permeating through the large flat space around the raised central stage.

The bright day was a little bit disorientating for Seeal though, as her internal clock was on the Elite Facility time, where it was currently late evening. Part of her wanted to go to bed, but the larger part of her was too busy enjoying the sunny moon and the regular steady rhythm of music pounding out of the stage's massive electronic speakers.

Stood in a sea of literally hundreds, if not thousands, she was free to move to sway and shake her shoulders along with the Satedan beats. Since an experience a few weeks ago when she had been invited to a massive Alliance Military celebration, following the big success against the Wraith at the former Nest System, she had discovered she had a real passion for music.

Sure, she'd heard music all her life. Every planet she'd been to had its own music, and music had been a big part of the pit fights, always playing in the background to create a certain atmosphere. And on Dreamstation there had been all sorts of music playing in different parts of the station, again to create certain vibes designed to either excite patrons into gambling more or chill them in the lower decks.

Satedan music was clearly never designed to calm anyone in any situation.

It was still good, fun and rhythmic music, and the massive sea of bouncing cheerful Satedans around her clearly enjoyed it. Of course this was just one of the opening bands, with the main band everyone had come to see due on the stage soon.

She'd purchased much of the music due to be played here today, adding it to her rapidly increasing new collection of Alliance music. She'd never had a hobby or personal interest like this before – she'd never had the time or inclination before now. But, in the middle of that Military celebration, she'd found herself around those she trusted and she'd been swept up in the freeing swing of the loud music and the just plain fun of it.

It was still a bit weird for her, this doing things just because it was fun, and no longer needing to be watching her back all the time. Around her set work hours for the Elite's computer project, she suddenly had a life to fill and it was entirely up to her what she did with it.

Madesh had convinced her to spend some of her new regular wages on purchasing things for her quarters and for her wardrobe. In the past, she'd hidden away almost all the currency she'd earned on Dream, storing it off the station in several different locations, which kept it away from scum stealing hands and ready in case she had needed to disappear. Living in the Elite's Facility, she now had regular food, supplies, and access to pretty much anything in the Alliance. So, she had started regular trips off the Facility's moon to trading stations and marketplaces with Madesh. Her new friend had given her the unexpected, and slightly embarrassing, encouragement she had needed to also start trying new styles of clothing, and in new colours. Throughout her life, she'd stuck with basic and functional clothing, designed to last a long time, not get in the way during a fight, and not to show too much skin so to draw male eyes. On Dream she had kept to very dark toned long-sleeved clothes that allowed her to merge into the shadows there while she kept her eye on various criminal scum.

Now though, she had started to wear tops with various sleeve lengths and in a variety of colours and patterns. This evening she was wearing a new favourite – a bright red low-cut top. It was a whole new way of expressing herself and it was ridiculously freeing for her compared to the life she had led until now.

She'd even bought a new coat, new shoes, and a nice patterned bedspread for her quarters. The contents of her quarters' cupboards and wardrobe had become far more colourful and interesting, starting to show a side of her personality that she hadn't indulged in before. Sure, she was never going to be one to wear something outlandish or especially revealing, several examples of which were displayed in the festival audience around her, but it was still happily new for her.

As were these evening outings to listen and dance to music. Again, it had been Madesh who had started her on that. With the Sythus still in its repair dock, its crew were free to fill their off hours with entertainment. As a relatively new crewmember, Madesh had managed to be incorporated into a new social group on the ship, which was mainly made up of members of the former 'Strays' team Seeal had been part of during the Sythus training sessions. They had invited Madesh out on social excursions, and, after the Military celebration, Seeal had been invited along once to a music club and she'd been invited on each outing since. And just like that, she had a social group.

It was very new.

The music started into a new piece, this time far louder and faster, the audience around Seeal ramping up their dancing to match. A lot of neck-damaging head-shaking had started up, but the music was still good enough to move to, though it wasn't the main show. The band everyone was here to see was a famous Satedan group called 'The Trouble Lovers'. They were so prolific that even Seeal had heard their music out beyond the Alliance border, and they were considered the height of a music style known as 'crescendo style', which was uniquely Satedan. Designed to start at a slow pace and build to a rapid and raging dramatic pitch, the music had been well known as a favourite amongst smugglers visiting Dreamstation. The loud and galvanising Satedan music apparently gave them the push to race through dangerous territories. Inside the Alliance border, 'The Trouble Lovers' were a known favourite of the Satedan forces among the Alliance Military, and certainly plenty had turned up today to hear them live.

Seeal was looking forward to it herself, though not to the head cracking excitement she was seeing around in the crowd. She was rather surprised how well behaved the Satedans were being so far, she'd half expected to see the usual small fights and drunken behaviour common among Satedan drinking parties. Instead, the massive audience seemed simply cheerful and expectant of seeing 'The Trouble Lovers'.

Seeal turned to Madesh beside her. He was bopping up and down with the music, Ru just visible on his other side. Ru, the Sythus' Lead Engineer, despite being of the more quiet and reserved type, seemed to equally enjoy these trips for music and dancing. He had even joined her and Madesh on a few shopping trips. He was again a new member of the group she was tentatively labelling 'friends'.

Further along the vague line within the crowd, Seeal could see Nevaeh, Numfar, and Fleta joining in with the head shaking and stomping. These five, along with Toj, who was missing right now, were her new social group and she really kind of enjoyed their company. She wasn't quite sure why they had included her and why they continued to invite her to join them, but she wasn't going to question it.

Soon enough the Sythus was going to be repaired and they would be off on missions, so she was planning to just enjoy their company while she could.

And when they left, so would a certain large oafish Elite too.

Having friends was a very new experience, as was the prospect of missing them.

Madesh leant closer to her, drawing her attention. "Have you seen Toj?" He all but shouted in her ear to be heard over the music. Toj, the currently missing member of the their group, was one-quarter Satedan, a fact that he told as many people as he could when out in clubs.

"He'll be jumping around somewhere," Seeal shouted back into Madesh's closest ear. Toj often wandered off, usually to return with overly attentive females following him.

Madesh nodded his agreement. They all kind of tried to keep tabs on Toj, but Seeal didn't bother since the man clearly knew how to take care of himself. Anyone that tried to pick a fight with even a part-Satedan was asking for any trouble they got in return. Toj was proof that, regardless as to how watered down his Satedan genes might be, the drive to be bold, boisterous, and eager to throw a good-natured punch were strong Satedan traits that always shone through; Toj hadn't even grown up on Sateda.

"When are 'The Trouble Lovers' starting?" Seeal shouted to Madesh.

He lifted his arm to consult his timepiece, though had to pause to gently push the bounding dancer in front of him a little further away. "Any minute," he reported.

Ru leant around Madesh and smiled at her, she smiled back. Even though Ru wasn't as boisterous as the rest of the group, he clearly shared her love of music and could always be trusted to join her on a dancefloor.

The current music dropped way suddenly, and the crowd all cheered. The band all pumped their fists into the air and more cheering followed as the group made their way off the large open centrally placed stage. There was a small area curtained off to one side for the bands to climb up to, or down from, the stage, and presumably 'The Trouble Lovers' were waiting in there ready to appear.

The excitement was almost palpable in the air, and Seeal could feel it affecting her too. 'The Trouble Lovers' were in for quite a greeting when they appeared.

The tempting smell of cooking food wafted to Seeal's nose, and she inhaled it deeply. Despite her body thinking she should be going to bed soon, her stomach was suddenly interested in the source of the smell. There were a load of stalls surrounding the open area of the festival, selling food, alcohol, and random trading items like tankards and necklaces. All Satedan style obviously.

Now wouldn't be the time to go find food anyway with the band about to play.

She took the lull in the music to turn to Madesh and Ru again, while ignoring the grumbling of her stomach. Nevaeh was already looking Seeal's way, around Madesh and Ru, and she pointed off to the far left. Seeal rose up on her toes to look up and over in the indicated direction.

A group of overly-excited Satedans had climbed up on one of the massive electronic speakers to the left of the stage, and among them was a shirtless Toj. Seeal shook her head at the display. A few members of the festival's Satedan security force were stood close to the speaker, but they didn't seem to care about the possible accident waiting to happen. Satedans had the view that if you got hurt doing something, then that was your issue.

Seeal had been surprised how relaxed the Satedan security were here, which wasn't what she had heard or expected. Given the Satedan eagerness for a fight, she'd assumed they were going to be somewhat heavy-handed, but instead they looked like they were here to enjoy the show as much as they were to keep watch over it.

Seeal looked back to Nevaeh and shook her head; Nevaeh grinned back.

A roar rose up from the masses and Seeal snapped her attention back to the stage. Getting to the festival early this evening had paid off, as recommended by Toj, because they had the best view. Stood directly in front of the centre of the stage, only about ten lines of people back from the front, she had a fantastic view as 'The Trouble Lovers' stepped out onto the stage.

It sounded like the entire mining moon's population screamed in delight.

Seeal couldn't help getting caught up and clapped her hands excitedly over her head as the six member band took up their traditional spots on the stage. There were two on the massive drum systems, two on electronic instruments, and the last two were the main singers of the group, one female and one male. The two leads stood, legs braced, body language full of confidence that was magnified by their elaborate brightly coloured and metal embellished outfits.

The male singer lifted one arm and held the microphone to his mouth. "We are 'The Trouble Lovers'!" He announced into the device and his deep voice boomed out of every massive speaker set around the festival space.

The crowd's delighted response was deafening, and Seeal had to cover her ears. She looked at Madesh and Ru next to her, to see that they were doing the same. Except Nevaeh, who was jumping up and down and looked like she was joining in the screaming, but it was lost in the din and Seeal's blocked ears.

After a few seconds, Seeal slowly eased her fingers from her ears. The cheering had lowered to a more comfortable loud level as 'The Trouble Lovers' strung out the first notes of their first song. In keeping with the crescendo style, the first pieces would be slower and more about the words and rhythm, which would build through each subsequent song until the final one of the set would be at a frenzied mad pitch.

Notes rang out through the air and the drums kicked in hard, creating an instantly entrancing rhythm that had Seeal immediately moving along with it. The whole crowd around her were all moving too, everyone grooving and swaying together to the music.

The singers started out on the words, recounting the old days of the Satedan homeworld and their most famous first warriors. Seeal swung her hips in time with the rhythm, Madesh doing the same next her, his elbows bumping hers – it was a common game they played now when out dancing.

This was definitely worth the late visit.

As loud long, almost sensuous rhythms played out from the large speakers. Seeal rose up to see that Toj was still on the speaker, though a few had been thrown off by the vibrations of the thing. Toj had a good grip of a pole behind the speaker and was swinging his shirt over his head.

The drums increased slightly in speed and the crowd responded, shifting and swaying in perfect time. It never ceased to amaze Seeal the power music had on all peoples across the galaxy, and presumably in Sheppard's home galaxy too. She would have to ask him the next time she saw him.

She returned her attention to the band and scanned her gaze over the members, seeing them in the flesh now rather than in the captured images that had accompanied the music she had purchased via the Facility's massive database. A few of the band's males were nicely shaped, lines of body paint highlighting strong arms and shoulders on one of the drummers. She'd never really allowed herself to focus too much on such things back on Dream. She wasn't blind to a handsome man, but her entire life had revolved around keeping strong-headed overly dominant males under control.

Which took her back to one particular male in her life.

Presumably Oneakka was still alive wherever he had disappeared to on a mission a few days ago. She had kind of missed him, since they were still working together on analysing the Toshka and Dreamstation databases, and Oneakka had also insisted on training her and Madesh every two days. He had some weird new obsession about ensuring both her and Madesh were skilled at using every weapon ever made. Still, the workouts were good, if not exhausting. The few days without Oneakka around had at least given her and Madesh a break from the intensity of those workouts. Of course Oneakka had left them with a set practice routine to complete while he was away, and she and Madesh hadn't quite kept to it; which had stressed Madesh. She had insisted Oneakka wouldn't know, but Madesh had his whole mentor thing with Oneakka going on and was always desperate for Oneakka's approval.

She didn't have that problem.

As long as the big oaf of an Elite stayed alive to get back to their training. Truthfully, she'd been enjoying Oneakka's regular company these past weeks. They had fallen into a routine of sorts in working together on the databases after her work day as they ate their late meal in the usual canteen. Though he occasionally disappeared off-world on a mission for a day or two, it had become a successful way of getting work done on the databases around their other work.

The former apprehension between them regarding certain attractions had settled, following their mutual agreement that they were colleagues, perhaps even friends. A firm boundary had been drawn and she was pleased that neither of them wanted to go near that line.

Though, she had made sure not to wear any of her new tops with low necklines around Oneakka – best not to test the line.

She slid her eyes off the drummer whose arms reminded her a little too much of her Elite colleague/friend, and looked off to the shaded area beside the stage. One of 'The Trouble Lovers' team was watching from the side, probably their manager.

The man's profile caught at Seeal's attention.

She froze, studying the man's face as best she could through the sea of swinging arms and bouncing Satedan heads. The man was stood mostly out of view, his arms crossed and his head moving up and down steadily to the music.

But she knew him from somewhere, and the feeling of alert sharpness told her instantly that it wasn't a good connection.

She narrowed her eyes at his individual features, letting her memory turn to place him. She'd seen him in pictures somewhere, not in person before. They had been digital images that Creass had obsessed over for a time...

It snapped into place in an instant.

No, it couldn't be Nessus.

She kept her eyes on him, studying his features again as best she could at this distance, but became only more convinced that it was him. He had a distinctive angled left eyebrow and a heavily lined face.

There were few as wanted as this man. The bounty on his capture, both in and outside of the Alliance, was worth a lifetime of currency. A war criminal originally from the Alliance planet Manaria, who, when he was about to be officially charged, had somehow stolen a battleship and escaped Alliance territory. After that, he had started up his own little crime syndicate across a wide range of planets and systems outside the Alliance's reach. He had killed any who stood in his way and pirated on smugglers, stealing their cargo and further built his reach by threatening them into working for him. When things had started to impact Dreamstation, Creass had joined forces with Nessus' powerful criminal enemies to remove him. No one knew exactly what had happened, but most of Nessus' syndicate had been slaughtered, though his body had never been found. As far as she recalled, the bounty on his head had never been removed due to that fact, but everyone had assumed he'd been killed.

And yet here he was, a good six years later, alive and well in Alliance territory.

Seeal turned to Madesh next to her, pushing her elbow into his side. He elbowed her back, thinking she was messing around with him, but she caught his arm and he finally looked around at her with a questioning look. He instantly looked concerned and stopped dancing. She guessed she looked worried. She pointed off to the side of the stage, indicating Nessus. Madesh looked back from the man and frowned, clearly not understanding her.

Madesh was wearing a jacket, despite the warmth, but that was useful today. She dug into his closest pocket. "Do you have your pad?" She shouted, but he couldn't hear her.

His hands took over the search and his small thin pad appeared in his hand. She wasn't allowed to have a pad that could connect with other world computers, but Madesh's did. She made to grab for the pad, but he pulled it back. She batted away his worried unheard words and pulled the pad from his hands. She knew he trusted her.

She triggered it awake, but it needed him to confirm access. She held the pad up to him. He frowned. She pointed off to the side of the stage again, which probably made no sense to him. He frowned but waved his wrist against the pad and his identity implant activated the pad for her. She nodded her thanks as she worked to connect the pad with the local Alliance communications and data station. Madesh had Elite crew permissions, so could easily access the wanted criminal lists put out by Enforcement.

A few taps, the music ignored around her, she finally found the aged wanted listing for Nessus. She pulled up his image and showed it to Madesh. He studied the pad, then off towards where Nessus was stood watching the band, and then back to her, his mouth opening in shock.

She nodded, pleased he agreed, and then turned her attention towards the Satedan security near where Toj was still hanging onto the vibrating speaker.

"I'll be right back," she shouted to Madesh as she pushed past him, then Ru and the jumping Nevaeh.

It took annoyingly long to get through the exuberant dancing crowd, but soon enough she was able to extract herself into a small length of higher ground on which the big speaker was set. It was also where three Satedan security were stood vaguely watching the crowd, while moving their shoulders and heads to the music.

Seeal headed straight towards them, which got their attention even before she reached them. She knew it was too loud for them to hear her clearly, so she just held up Madesh's pad with Nessus' image and the wanted listing. All three of the guards frowned at the pad's screen and when all of them recognised the name and looked suitably interested, Seeal pointed off to the far side of the stage towards where Nessus was clearly in view from up here. She also noticed that Madesh had followed her and was stood close behind her. She suspected that it wasn't just their friendship that kept him close at times like this, instead she would bet good currency that Oneakka had told him to make sure she didn't get into any trouble away from the Facility.

Males.

But, for now, she had three male Satedans to do what was important. All three of the big Satedan security were still looking from the pad to the distant Nessus with growing frowns. One started speaking into his concealed radio link in his collar as he turned away and headed towards several more security off the other side of the large speaker.

Good, they were taking it seriously.

Her work done, she relaxed down her arm holding the pad and turned to Madesh. Madesh reached for his pad and examined the wanted listing again as she handed it over. The music pounded loud and the audience were still screaming delightfully, but Seeal wasn't in the mood to dance now. Instead, she fixed her eyes on Nessus. She had no idea how he had managed to go unseen in the Alliance all these years, but she suspected it would be a case of time slipping him from people's awareness, forged papers, burning off his fingerprints and possibly by having connections with 'The Trouble Lovers'.

The arrogant nerve of the man to be hiding in plain sight! Though, Seeal considered, perhaps it had actually been quite clever, because everyone would be paying attention to the celebrity band all the time, not some assistant in the wings. Still, it had been risky. Anyone could have recognised him over the years. It always amazed Seeal how people could miss the obvious when they didn't think it was possible. Most people had accepted the theory that he had been killed six years ago, and no one would have expected him to ever turn up in the Alliance. She had to wonder though how many random unexplained killings near a 'Trouble Lovers' concert had actually been Nessus removing the occasional person who had recognised him.

The Satedan security abruptly brushed past her, so she stepped aside, keeping close to Madesh; only for more Satedan security to appear from the right, jogging past her and Madesh towards the stage.

Seeal watched, shocked, as the first group of security simply leapt up onto the stage, batons and stunners in hand, and started blasting stunner fire towards Nessus. Right past the noses of 'The Trouble Lovers'.

Nessus had spotted the sudden attack though, and had started ducking to one side, but stunner fire converged on him from three directions, and Seeal saw him shake with stunner energy and drop out of view.

Another group of Satedan security were storming the stage from the back now, and the second group were climbing up the front of the stage after the first wave.

The music stopped in a sudden instant as the band, reacting in what was, unfortunately, the typical Satedan way, rushed forward to meet the swarming security with their fists. The audience started up a roaring noise of protest, and Seeal saw several grabbing at the security, pulling some of them off the stage. As they fell down, they started fighting back.

The brawl exploded to life.

What had been a well tempered and engrossed front of the audience suddenly became a sea of swinging fists, shouts and protests. And they weren't just fighting the security, smaller fights were breaking out as someone stood on someone's foot, or someone decided they weren't going to see their friend punched.

Like fire spreading across dry tinder, Seeal watched, mouth open, as the fighting spread. Within seconds, it seemed that everyone was fighting, wrestling, and yelling.

On the stage, she saw one of 'The Trouble Lovers' drummers throw himself off the front of the stage, launching himself out of the reach of security and down towards the carpet of fighting fans. However, a long-haired Satedan security member, threw herself after him, actually tackling him midair before them both dropped into the fight below.

"What the-?" Seeal uttered in bewilderment at the sudden madness.

What was wrong with Satedans?

A cracking sound from behind her and Madesh had her sweeping round to see that a drinks stall was rocking, with far too many people crammed inside the wood and fabric structure. Seeal watched as the whole stall began leaning to one side and people began bursting out, barrels of alcohol in their hands as they rushed away.

Okay, it seemed looting had started up now.

She turned back towards the fight, glad she and Madesh were on the higher ground out of the way. She looked across the mass brawl, trying to locate the rest of her group. Madesh was thinking the same and was already reaching down towards where she could see Fleta and Numfar struggling out of the fight. Fleta was grabbed by some overeager, and clearly drunk, Trouble Lover fan who had decided to live up to his heroes' name. Fleta jabbed his elbow up into the man's jaw, while Numfar pushed the man aside. Madesh reached down and helped pull them up the short distance to the higher ground. Behind them, Nevaeh was following, one of her dress' sleeves missing and she was dragging Ru with her by the back of his collar. The two clambered up out of the fighting mess, and, fortunately, they all appeared unharmed.

Where was Toj?

Seeal turned and looked back up to the top of the speaker next to her, but he wasn't there. Instead there were two others fighting, grappling with get each other.

What was it with Satedans? At least the fighting was 'polite', in that there were no weapons in sight, but she saw more than a few bloody noses in the fighting mess around her.

Nevaeh arrived next to Seeal and grinned despite her slightly dishevelled appearance. Ru was next to her, Fleta and Numfar squeezing into the relatively safe spot as they all looked out at the madness around them.

A large number of the fans had gotten up on the stage now and were wrestling with security and each other. However, Seeal could see that there was a tight group of security on the far side around where Nessus had gone down. They had him at least.

Movement across the other side of the audience drew her attention and she watched as a large group of fans clambered up the large speaker near the far end of the stage. The speaker was clearly leaning to one side, and, with a loud crackle that sounded like something shorting out, the thing started to topple over. Seeal watched in horror as the huge speaker crashed down into the quickly formed open space next to it. Dust billowed up in a huge cloud as it landed, and a loud electronic squeal was emitted like an angry dying cry from the speaker.

As the dust settled, Seeal saw a worrying glow had started up behind the speaker. A fire was catching on one of the long billowing drapes hanging from the side of the stage. The breeze didn't help, and within seconds the fire raced up the long piece of fabric.

Fortunately, it appeared that security was on it, and billows of fire suppressant blasted up over the former speaker and the fabric.

Seeal looked away from the chaos, to find the others of her group all turning towards her.

She met their accusatory but faintly amused looks.

"It's not _my_ fault!" Seeal exclaimed.

Nevaeh began laughing. "It's never dull with you around, Seeal!" She grinned.

"Look!" Fleta laughed loudly as he pointed off to the sage. "There's Toj."

Seeal looked round and spotted Toj on the very edge of the stage. He had someone in a headlock, but there was a large Satedan woman pulling at his hair and a guy hanging on his leg, attempting to pull him off the front of the stage.

"Should we help him?" Seeal asked the group.

Fleta, still laughing, shook his head. "Let him have fun."

"It won't be fun if Tyoosi hears about it," Madesh suggested loudly over the noise of something new breaking and falling over in the distance. Seeal didn't look round to see what it was, but she suspected the looting had probably spread to the outer stalls around the field.

"He'll be fine," Fleta waved off the concern for Toj. Toj had gotten into a fight in the last club they had visited a couple of days ago and apparently Tyoosi, the Sythus' Security Lead, had had a few choice words on the matter on seeing Toj' resulting bruised eye. Seeal knew what Tyoosi' long lectures were like, and being in a fight was far preferable.

Seeal finally realised what Nevaeh had said. "What do you mean things are never dull with me around?" She demanded.

Nevaeh grinned. "Come on, there was that incident in that club the other night."

"Toj started that," Seeal argued.

"And that place with the pickpockets," Madesh added unhelpfully from her right.

Seeal glared at him, whilst steadfastly not focusing on what was clearly a column of smoke rising in the near distance over Madesh's right shoulder. "Hey, those club bouncers had direct line of sight of those pickpockets; they were clearly ignoring it on purpose. It was my civic duty to report them to the club manager!"

Madesh just seemed to find that funny, which was annoying. It was probably the irony of her talking about 'civic duty'.

"It was the _right_ thing to do," Seeal insisted.

"And there was that time you almost broke that guy's hand," Numfar supplied.

Feeling ganged up on, despite being aware that they were teasing her in good nature, Seeal tried not to get annoyed. "I didn't break his hand; it was a mild sprain at the most. He certainly won't be putting his hands were they're not wanted again."

Nevaeh nodded her agreement to that.

"It's not my fault if there are these kinds of people everywhere you take me," Seeal defended herself.

Ru leant into her view. "You did do the right thing, Seeal," he defended her.

"Thank you, Ru," Seeal smiled at him. "Maybe you should all ask yourselves why you keep taking me to places with criminal activities," she turned it on them.

"They're clubs and bars," Numfar shrugged his shoulders, "there's always something going on."

A sudden shout close by snapped all their attention round and an entirely naked Satedan male streaked past behind Numfar, a security guard fast on the man's naked heels.

"What is wrong with Satedans?" Seeal exclaimed into the stunned pause.

"Don't let Toj hear you say that," Numfar warned, but he was smiling.

"There is one safe place we could take Seeal," Nevaeh considered thoughtfully. "We could take her to Myrtle's."

For some reason that suggestion got all of the group's attention.

"No, we can't take her there!" Numfar protested. "We can't let her shutdown Myrtle's!"

"Yes, we have to take her there," Nevaeh grinned back ignoring his complaint.

"I am right here," Seeal pointed out as they continued to talk about her.

"Elite drink there," Numfar ignored Seeal's point about politeness. "Military top leaders."

Fleta, who had been mostly watching the brawl like he was watching entertainment, leant in. "I saw the Athosian Bantos Champion in there last time."

"He's tasty," Nevaeh said with feeling.

"That wasn't _my_ first thought," Fleta frowned at her with a smile.

"It would be a safe place to take Seeal," Madesh gave his opinion.

Seeal glared at her friend. "To take me? Am I a child?"

"It's a great club, great music, mostly military and celebrities," Madesh explained. "It's run by a retired Elite warrior."

That caught her interest. "An ex-Elite opened a club?"

Madesh nodded.

"There's rarely ever any trouble there," Nevaeh put in, clearly a fan of the place. "I'm free tomorrow, anyone else?"

"I'm free," Ru agreed happily.

"What if this happens there?" Numfar protested as he gestured to all the fighting. "Imagine if we shutdown Myrtle's; the Elite would be _mad_."

"No one is shutting down Myrtle's," Nevaeh calmed him, the group now entirely ignoring what was happening around the stage and field. Seeal worked hard not to wince as she saw another large tent falling to the ground in the distance, but at least security had gotten the speaker fire under control. That was something.

"The Wraith could invade and take over the entire Alliance territory again, and Myrtle's would still stay open," Nevaeh clearly exaggerated.

"I'm in," Fleta stated. "There's usually some lovely ladies there."

"Toj will go, he loves it there," Nevaeh nodded, glancing off to where Toj was still part of the havoc on the stage.

"It sounds good, as long as we're not restricted to the Sythus for all this," Madesh put in as he frowned round at the chaos around them.

A horrible thought crossed Seeal's mind.

She fixed Madesh with her most determined look. "None of this is our fault," she stated logically. "The Elite don't need to hear about this. _Oneakka_ ," she clarified, "doesn't need to hear about this, Madesh."

" _Honoured Elite_ Oneakka," Madesh added Oneakka's proper title, as he did every single damn time.

"Madesh!" Seeal stressed, catching hold of the front of his open jacket. "This is security's fault, not mine. Who rushes a stage like that?"

Madesh inclined his head in agreement, as he glanced around at the fighting.

"He doesn't need to know," Seeal very nearly pleaded. She'd never hear the end of it otherwise; Oneakka was still mentioning her high kick that he had disapproved of in her 'incident' with the Recruits and that had been weeks ago.

Madesh looked back at her. "You promise that tomorrow we'll catch up on the training programme he left us?" He negotiated.

"Fine," she willingly agreed.

"Very well," he nodded, which surprised her somewhat, considering his hero-worship for Oneakka. "I will not say anything."

Seeal breathed out a sigh of relief and released his jacket.

"Unless Honoured Elite Oneakka asks me directly," Madesh added his addendum.

Typical; but it was the best she was going to get out of her honesty stricken friend. Besides, it really wasn't her fault. If Oneakka found out, well, she had been the one to spot a dangerous and wanted criminal. How could that be bad?

She noticed a shift in the sea of people – it looked like more serious and focused Satedan security back up were arriving. "I think we should probably grab Toj and head for the Portal," she suggested to the group.

"Good idea," Fleta agreed, having spotted the newcomers too. "I'll get him," he volunteered and headed along the high ground to where he could reach the stage. Seeal followed, preferring Fleta to have someone to watch his back.

Toj was close by though, on the nearest edge of the stage. He had the upper hand in a wrestling match and had his opponent in both a head and arm lock. The quarter-Satedan saw them approaching and grinned at them.

"Come on, we need to go," Fleta shouted to him. "We're going to Myrtle's tomorrow evening," he then added for some reason.

Seeal guessed that these kinds of things weren't all that worrying for an Elite crew who frequently went into battles against the Wraith, but it sure was surreal for her. Usually she had been the one breaking up a brawl on Dream, not letting them spread into this kind of madness.

Toj, having heard Fleta's announcement over the chaos, instantly released his opponent and jumped upright. "I love Myrtle's," he announced eagerly, a second bruised eye having joined the first.

She certainly knew how to find some interesting friends.

00000  
TBC


	6. The Old Wounds

**Chapter 6 – The Old Wounds**

The final banquet and then the Closing Ceremony for the Intergalactic Conference had gone very well. The banquet hall had been full to bursting, with attendees from the previous weeks arriving to be part of it. Every seat had been taken and every inch of free space around the hall, in the open doorways and out into the corridors beyond, had been filled as everyone had listened to the speeches.

Councillor Fovea had spoken first, there to represent the High Council. She was a fitting choice, for her own people, those of Xinda, were joined with Athos themselves via Rhakshar's Political Marriage with Zabetha. In a way, Xinda now had their own unique relationship with Atlantis, but Fovea had always been an outspoken supporter of forming ties with Atlantis from the start. She had given a very good speech, well written and not too long.

Though no speech could be as short as Ronon's had been. There to represent the Military Council, he had spoken after Fovea. He had simply stated the importance of working together in the fight against the Wraith and that the Military Council looked forward to a new two pronged attack on the Wraith by both the Alliance and Atlantis. And that had been it.

Teyla had made sure not to smile with amusement at the quick completion of her friend's speech. She had been able to steal away some time from the top banquet table during the meal and had sat with Ronon for awhile. He'd visited the Conference a few times these past weeks, so she had been able to catch some time with him, hearing news and seeing images of his growing baby boy, Rakai. Ronon was a very proud father and was clearly enjoying the new role in his life.

After Ronon's speech, it had been her turn, so she had stepped forward to the mass of watching faces and had given a short speech of her own. She had thanked all for attending and had reiterated much of her speech from her wedding day. She had stressed the importance of actual cooperation and real outcomes so that all could work together to win the fight against the Wraith. That Atlantis' involvement had started a new era in the history of this galaxy, and that she was grateful that all present had seen the potential and attended the Conference.

As she had turned back to her seat, she had discovered that John had stood forward with her. She had not asked him to, and she had been too focused on her speech to notice him stood just behind her shoulder. It appeared that John was starting to think as a Political Husband already, which she had whispered to him as they had returned to their seats. He had looked quite alarmed.

Father had then introduced Colonel Carter to the audience, as most had not seen her before. As the calm blonde military leader stood up, it had been clear that all eyes watching had been intently curious and keen to hear what she had to say. She had repeated the exact same sentiments as the Councillors, but had gone on to recount for the crowd how her own galaxy had once been ruled over by a destructive alien race, but that their power had been toppled by different peoples from different worlds working together. It had been a very well delivered speech, which clearly caught everyone's rapt attention.

Father had then concluded the ceremony by lighting a tall highly decorated candle. It had been handmade for the event by Athosian artisans, using dried flowers and a wide range of different coloured oils within the thick wax. Father declared the candle to represent all the differing cultures and peoples who had attended the Conference, and that, in lighting the candle, so he also lit the real hope of eventual peace in the galaxy. He had then set the candle's wick alight and declared the Conference completed, and the large banquet hall had echoed with loud applause.

It had gone very well, and Teyla was pleased she had been able to conclude her mission on Sol in time to be part of the ceremony.

The Conference attendees had then been left to mingle and depart in their own time, taking their time to enjoy so many new connections, acquaintances, and new trading opportunities that were being formed at the Conference. Teyla had heard that several new Political Marriages had also been confirmed, so it did seem that ties were strengthening again between the worlds and systems of the Alliance. It really did give her hope.

There was one final meeting to be held though, but it was one that Teyla found far more relaxing. The Tea Room was a nice informal setting for her family and the main representatives from Earth to meet to conclude these weeks. It was also customary for the first commencement of shared time for a new Political Couple to begin with a banquet. However, considering the huge number of recent days spent sharing discussions and meals with Atlantis, Father deemed a simple sharing of tea in a quiet room to be enough.

Clearly those from Atlantis appreciated the relaxed atmosphere of the room, after the busy press of people earlier.

Sat around two low tables pushed together into one long table, the Earth representatives, Colonel Carter, Zabetha, Rhakshar, and Elkaska lined both sides, deep in light and easy conversation. Sat at the far end, Father presided over the gentle meeting. Though Teyla could see the clear signs of tiredness across Father's face, she could also see the satisfaction plainly. She had no doubt that he was looking forward to the following quieter days after the Conference, but she made a mental note to ensure that Hakon had worked his usual magic in ensuring Father had some rest time built into his diary for the next few days.

Still, tiredness aside, it was clear that Father was now quite comfortable with those from Atlantis. They had been such a regular daily presence here in the Tjaru during the Conference, and during the more official meetings following her and John's wedding, that they were now familiar faces to all in the Governing Complex.

It was, yet again, another clear sign that the Political Marriage was already living up to the promise she had envisioned for it. All that remained to discuss was trade between Atlantis and the Elite. Since the moment that her marriage was announced, the Elite had been in deep and complex discussion about what they should offer in trade to Atlantis and what they wanted in return. Almost every single Elite warrior had expressed their support in the trades, and a final list had been consolidated for her and Si to present to Atlantis tomorrow.

Tomorrow – her first day in Atlantis. With the completion of the closing ceremony, she found herself feeling strangely disquieted about her visit to the Ancestral City. It was not that anything specifically worried at her or concerned her about staying with John's people; she had stayed there before and she trusted those from Earth enough, but she and Si would be far from the Alliance. Home was only a Portal trip away, but she was aware that her freedom would be slightly impinged by her stay, and that her days would be governed by whatever Atlantis wanted to discuss or action. Though that was part and parcel of such a Political Marriage stay, she found herself feeling faintly anxious about the days ahead.

Perhaps it was simply that she was tired. She could feel the weight of her body, the slight slowness to her thoughts and these wayward feelings that told her that she needed to properly rest. She had barely had a few hours of sleep each day on Sol, so she needed a good night's sleep; especially with her departure to Atlantis tomorrow morning.

John's elbow gently nudged hers, drawing her focus suddenly back into the Tea Room. She had not heard any of the conversation for some time. She was definitely tired and distracted.

She glanced at John beside her and he gave her a knowing and slightly questioning look that silently asked her if she was well. She simply smiled back to him, grateful for his intervention.

As was with tradition, they sat beside each other at the opposite end of the table from Father. Though, as the end of the table was not all that wide, they had been forced to crush their floor cushions close, and her left knee was propped up on John's closest thigh. The physical contact did not feel uncomfortable or jarring, which surprised her somewhat, but then they had shared far closer contact in the past. The simple touch and the heat of his leg was comforting in fact, perhaps as it was acceptable and appropriate contact that did not feel as if it skirted that slightly awkward line of intimacy between them.

His eyes held hers as she smiled at him, thanking him for his wake up nudge, and she could see his gaze shifting over her face, assessing her.

Keeping her voice low, she asked, "Did I miss much?"

His smile widened, his eyes glancing away for a moment and then back to her. "Nah," he shook his head, but she felt that, even if she had, he would not say so. "Tiring mission, huh?" He asked.

"I spent the last three nights hunting Wraith through a forest," she told him, comfortable that it was safe enough information to share, not breaching any restricted information. They had grown rather used to coping with what they could and could not share with each other.

"You get them all?" John asked of the Wraith.

"Yes, we did," Teyla confirmed. "Though there were more than we had anticipated. Oneakka walked away with a few scratches, but it was successful."

"Bet he wasn't pleased about that," John smiled, again his eyes shifting away to the rest of the table and back. Again, it was almost standard for them now to be constantly aware of who was around them, who was watching, and selecting their words carefully in case they were overheard. It was only when they were entirely alone together that they could drop all pressures and restraints.

Well, no, that was no longer true, was it. There was that new distance; the carefulness they had with each other regarding anything approaching the physical intimacy they had once shared so easily. Perhaps that was why their light and acceptable limited physical contact now, legs touching and shoulders occasionally brushing, was so comforting. It was a way of being close to him, but without fear of it progressing into territory both of them were disinclined to approach.

Her stay in Atlantis though would surely challenge that distance. They would be sharing quarters, their sleeping space separated only by a single door. It would inevitably bring the subtle tensions between them to the foreground.

She was not certain what it was about that prospect that worried her the most – that he would show his interest in intimacy again and she would be forced to reject him; that he might offer and that she would easily agree; or perhaps, that he would do nothing.

What if his feelings were waning? What if her words and actions had cut him too deeply? What if his fears of his career outweighed his feelings for her?

She felt strangely trapped between different sides of the same issue – not wanting him too close, but fearing that he would not wish to be close. At least in this middle ground of companionable enjoyable friendship, they could avoid the bigger issues, and simply, once again, enjoy each other without the complexities of a sexual relationship.

She should be pleased with this arrangement. This marriage allowed them to help their people and the galaxy at large, yet still be friends and enjoy each other's company. A compromise.

Her mind turned to Oneakka, as John had asked about him, but also in recalling his stubborn life-long refusal to be dictated to by his emotions. Even with Seeal, with whom he clearly had a strong affiliation, he denied any relationship except companionable colleagues.

"No," she confirmed to John, "Oneakka was not best pleased, but little slows him down."

"It wouldn't dare," John joked.

"...my honoured daughter?" Father's voice cut into their conversation. She looked away from John and smiled down the length of the table, falling back into the polite warrior that she had to be.

All faces down the table were looking at her and John.

"We were just discussing," Father explained without missing a beat, "arrangements for tomorrow and your time in Atlantis."

"Of course," Teyla agreed neutrally.

"As agreed," Father continued, looking to Colonel Carter, "we have ensured secrecy as to my Honoured Daughter's stay, as we always will when Major Sheppard stays with us."

"Thank you, Torren," Colonel Carter replied from her seat closest to him. "We are very much looking forward to your stay, Honoured Elite," the woman smiled kindly towards Teyla.

"I am looking forward to it as well," Teyla replied, hoping she sounded fully sincere. It was going to be fine, albeit yet more time spent smiling politely and being so acutely careful about the words she spoke. Life was far simpler as an Elite warrior. One did not have to choose careful words with Wraith, and Elite preferred direct honest speech in their work.

"We have prepared a schedule of meetings and discussions for your stay," Mr Woolsey put in from the right side of the table.

"More meetings, huh?" John commented from her left, his tone full of teasing awareness of how bored of such discussions she had become.

"Leader Torren was kind enough to allow us to upload the schedule for you to study before tomorrow," Mr Woolsey continued. "If there is anything you want to change, or matters you would like to discuss in more detail, please let me know."

"Thank you, Mr Woolsey," Teyla replied. She had not taken to Mr Woolsey at first, but over the last weeks, she had seen a newer side to him. He was clearly a very intelligent man who could consider all sides of an issue, and he had a kindness that showed through his eyes.

He dipped his head slightly and smiled at her, clearly pleased that she was pleased.

"And," Colonel Carter added, "Torren, perhaps soon you can also visit our city some day soon."

"I very much look forward to that day," Father replied. "Perhaps once all administrative matters from the conference are concluded, I could find some time."

"Feel free to drop by anytime," General O'Neill put in from his seat between Colonel Carter and Elkaska.

"Though we would need some time to prepare for your visit," Mr Woolsey added more practically.

"I do look forward to walking in the hallways of the Ancestors themselves," Father smiled wistfully, as he had each time Teyla had seen him consider visiting Atlantis.

"You'll love it there," General O'Neill replied informally.

"I understand that the ocean is so vast that finding land would take many days by boat?" Father asked.

General O'Neill frowned slightly at that. "We don't have any boats," the General seemed to realise and he looked round to Colonel Carter. "Why don't we have any boats?"

"We have the Ancient ships," John put in. "We found they can work just as efficiently as a submersible."

Father looked fascinated by the idea.

"But still not _boats_ ," General O'Neill commented. "Maybe we should get some boats," he said down the table to John.

"Maybe a speedboat," John suggested with sudden enthusiasm, and the General nodded excitedly.

"Thank you again, Torren, for your inspired ideas for the Conference," Colonel Carter returned the conversation back to its original topic. "Everyone involved from Atlantis has thoroughly enjoyed their time here."

"I am very pleased with its success," Father smiled.

"It's been a great shindig," General O'Neill remarked, which sounded like a compliment.

Father looked towards the General. "Shindig?" He queried the word that had not appeared to have translated.

"You know, a hoedown," General O'Neill started to explain. "Big get-together for a good party."

Teyla noticed that Colonel Carter was smiling down into her cup of tea as she lifted it to drink.

"Knees-up kind of thing-" The General continued with his explanation.

"Knees-up?" Father frowned.

"Meaning there is usually dancing," Colonel Carter explained quickly, anticipating a misunderstanding from the comment.

"Oh," Father smiled with understanding. "Though, I am not sure my knees could take any 'hoedown' dancing."

Teyla was a little surprised at the joking comment from Father.

"Mine too," General O'Neill agreed with feeling. "Do yours hurt more in the cold?"

"They do," Father agreed, nodding.

Teyla had seen Father and the General talking several times during the course of the Conference and it appeared the two got on very well. It was rather surprising since Teyla was well aware from her own interactions with General O'Neill, and from some of John's stories, that the General was excessively informal most of the time. Father, though a relaxed and calm man, was not usually that way inclined.

"Also on very rainy days," Father added.

"And don't get me started on _cold_ rainy days," General O'Neill replied and Father chuckled.

John's shoulder touched against hers lightly as he leant forward to pick up the closest pot of tea to refill his cup, though his movement was clearly designed to draw her attention.

"They're getting on well," John commented quietly, his tone implying surprised suspicion, as he leant faintly closer as he picked up the teapot.

"Indeed," Teyla agreed with him, keeping her voice low as well. John held the teapot towards her neglected cup and she nodded at his silent offer. "Yes, thank you."

He poured the dark liquid into her cup and then added more to his own. "If we can get a speedboat out of the conversation though..." He smiled as he set the pot back down.

"I am assuming that the name describes the boat simply enough?" She asked, knowing of his love of vehicles and craft that could 'go fast'.

"It does," he grinned.

She picked up her refilled cup gratefully.

"If you want," he suggested as he settled back onto his cushion, his own refilled cup in his hand, "I could take you out on a Jumper while you're in the city; show you the mainland."

"I would like that," Teyla replied.

"We've got various science groups working there and I occasionally pilot them out; they're studying...something," he paused, clearly unaware of exactly what the scientific division on Atlantis were working on. "I should really start listening to what they go on about during the flights."

She had to control her smile – remembering the potential audience around them. "I am sure it is very important work," she suggested. "Your work here, and in Atlantis' military work, is just as important."

He seemed to like that. "Certainly done our bit these last couple of weeks.

"Yes," she agreed, letting out a long breath. Yet, another week was ahead for her. Still, it would be time with John, though she was not sure yet what her daily schedule would be in Atlantis, or how much of that time would be shared with John present, but it was also important work. She would not begrudge it. "I am looking forward to meeting those Mr Woolsey has scheduled me to meet."

One of John's eyebrows lifted, which told her that he had seen right through that statement. "Yeah, sounds a ball," he muttered. "But," he added with more enthusiasm, "there's the sparring sessions, Ketra's gonna be there, and the view really is good from our new quarters."

"And your threat to show me golfing," she pointed out.

"It's just called golf," he corrected her, and not for the first time. "And its' not a _threat_ , it's gonna be fun."

"We shall see," she teased.

He gave her a look that suggested that, had they been alone, that he might have said something further. She smiled back at him. These moments when they could share laughter and be reasonably comfortable with each other felt like a heady relief.

"Yeah," John muttered. "Elite teaching Marines how to fight, a dragon in Atlantis, and you learning to swing a golf club...what could possibly go wrong?" he asked as he smiled that playful handsome grin of his.

Despite all that had happened, that sparkling grin still had the ability to flip her stomach and make the room feel instantly warmer.

Their first official time together in Atlantis as Political Husband and Wife; what could go wrong? Only the days ahead would reveal the answer.

00000

Kolya ran his eyes over the lists one last time, the electronic pads lined up across his desk. Everything was in order; the pieces of the game were all in place and all that was left was for the bait to step into its trap.

After so many long days and years living in these dank cold bunkers, the day was finally approaching. Cowen would be toppled from his foolish lofty heights, and Kolya would return to his home and take up the position he had been long denied.

And all of it would be achieved with one strike that would not only return him to Genii soil, but bring Atlantis under heel and also deal with a certain pesky Major. The people from Earth were growing their power with each passing day, expanding their reach and influence right into the very heart of the Alliance and it's Military. How Sheppard had managed to convince one of the most infamous Elite warriors to agree to a Political Marriage was unclear, but he had, and in doing so, he had, once again, struck a damaging blow to the Genii people.

And each day the Genii were crushed further, as Cowen took every opportunity Kolya created for him to suppress them further. Few would mourn the loss of Cowen once he was finally removed from this life.

Kolya picked up a pad, checking through a list once again, looking for any flaws in the complicated mission ahead. Beyond the open door to his office, he heard the clip of boots fast approaching down the stone-lined corridor outside.

"Commander," Pranos stated as soon as he strode into the chamber, pausing to bow his head.

Kolya lifted his eyes from the list, but did not lower the electronic pad. "News?" He asked of his most trusted man.

"The Athosian Conference has concluded, the guests through the Portal and the Genii representatives have returned to the homeworld," Pranos reported.

"Good," Kolya acknowledged and indicated the chair across the table from him. "Sit, Pranos. The hour is almost at hand."

"Indeed it is," Pranos smiled as he sat. He had been most loyal, and would play a vital part in the plan ahead.

"The latest from the Portal overseer?" Kolya asked.

"Portal transport remains at alert status as Cowen continues to restrict our people's freedom."

Koyla set the pad and its list down into its place on his desk. "He tightens his own noose. The latest from the Governing team?"

Pranos settled back in his seat. "Sora was the one to report the latest status. They believe Cowen is watching them more closely than before."

"Let them continue to believe as much."

"Otherwise all appears to be ready."

Kolya nodded, glancing at the pad that listed his precise calculations as to how long it would take for the Governing members to move through the underground corridors under the First City. It was foolishness to live above ground as they all did. Cowen at least was sensible in keeping his main office and bedchamber below ground under his 'Palace'.

"Sora expressed her personal doubts that Cowen will leave the homeworld," Pranos added.

"Did she?" Kolya considered. Sora had always been a loyal solider to the Genii Confederation, but her heart was easily swayed by those closest to her. Ladon seemed to have considerable influence over her thoughts of late, but sometimes it was best to allow such distractions to do just that – distract the players in the game.

"With the Conference over, presumably Major Sheppard will return to his Atlantis missions off world shortly," Pranos stated with clear eagerness for the mission.

"Presumably," Kolya agreed. "Though, as we know, Major Sheppard doesn't always do as predicted. Make sure to reinforce the order to our informants that they are not to approach him, but simply inform us immediately of his arrival."

"Yes, Commander."

"Make sure to stress that if anyone frightens the Major off, I will personally see to their painful end."

"Yes, Commander, it will be done."

"Good," Kolya nodded. "And the transport?"

"Everything is ready to move him," Pranos responded instantly. "We can move him at a moment's notice."

Kolya nodded again, shifting against the high-backed chair to find a more comfortable position. He was growing tired of the old and basic furniture in these bunkers.

"Does it still pain you?" Pranos asked, one of the only ones who would dare reference the old bullet wound.

"Only the memory of defeat," Kolya replied, though, truthfully, his aging body was starting to feel the echoes of old injuries. It was the damp in these bunkers, he was sure of it. "Sheppard will pay for all he has done."

To him, the Genii people, and to Iketani.

Thanks to a traded piece of information from Pyaban, Kolya had learnt that it had been the Elite who had finally struck down the delightfully fiendish creature that had been Iketani; but that Major Sheppard had also been present. Considering the Major's apparent desire to win the favours of the Elite, Kolya had to wonder if he had been the one to lead them to Iketani.

"Soon we will be home again, Commander," Pranos promised.

"As long as all the pieces land as we need them," Kolya responded logically. "We must be ready to adapt at any moment."

"I have checked the necessary escape routes once again."

"Good," Kolya nodded. "Then, soon, we will take our rightful place with our people."

Pranos, his back straight and true, nodded with his immutable confidence.

Kolya could not feel quite the same yet. He had lived through too many battles and setbacks to believe in a guaranteed outcome. However, with all the planning, the co-conspirators in place on the homeworld, and all contingences covered, everything was in place for him to succeed.

They just needed Sheppard to show his face on a known planet and trigger the plan into action.

00000  
TBC


	7. The Worry

**Chapter 7 – The Worry**

It was early, too early for having been off-world late last night watching a mass Satedan brawl.

Seeal shook out her newly dried hair, the bathroom's air still full of the residual steam from her lovely hot early morning shower. In her opinion, the Elite's mattresses were her favourite inventions in the entire galaxy, but the powerful hot water showers were a close second place. Not only did the heavy pressure massage your back and shoulders as you showered, but the heat of the water was magnificent.

She reached over the large sink and wiped a small hand towel across the steamed mirror. As soon as a path was cleared, it started to mist up again, so she wiped it once more. Perhaps she had messed with the humidity controls a little too much to keep the bathroom warm. She leant across to the small control panel set by the mirror and within seconds of returning the settings to 'standard' she heard the purr of ventilation fans turning up above her.

She drew in a deep breath of the still warm air and contemplated her hair. She had dried it with her head upside down under the hot air machine, and the front of her hair was standing up somewhat. She smoothed it down, the still misty air helping add some weight. She frowned at the result. It would have to do – she had a big project meeting in an hour and, before that, an impromptu meeting over first meal.

When she had arrived back in the Facility late last night, she had found several messages waiting from her. Two were from Oneakka, who had clearly returned from his mission. The first was to tell her he was back and demanded, in his usual blunt manner, for an update of the database work. Then in his second message he had suggested they meet for first meal this morning to go through whatever she had found. She had sent a response, uncaring if the late night message might wake him, confirming that she would meet him and she sent him her latest research. She knew he would read it all before their meeting as well, so she had re-read it all again last night, so as to remind herself of all the details. Not much had been significant really, but she continued to follow some routes that had potential, in her opinion.

The last message had been from Madesh reporting that he and the others had returned to the Sythus without Tyoosi spotting Toj's missing shirt or extra bruised eye. He also reminded her of her promise to return to Oneakka's training schedule, but since Oneakka was now back, she guessed the training would return to usual demanding levels anyway.

She gave up convincing her hair to do what she wanted, and set about securing the long ends up behind her head. It resulted in a somewhat tangled mass of hair, but it kept it all out of her way. Hair controlled, she regarded her naked reflection. There were still moments when she almost didn't recognise her new far healthier reflection. The regular good food provided by the Facility's canteens and the ongoing regular intense exercise routines had changed her appearance. She had gone from the gaunt lines that had defined her features for as long as she remembered, to this new softer face. Add to that the ever growing muscle mass that Oneakka's exercise routines were helping to build further, and she was probably the strongest and healthiest she had ever been in her life.

As she nearly always did, she turned slightly and lifted her left arm to reveal the dark tattoo on her left side. It had healed long ago and was simply part of her now, but she still looked at its reflection each time. It summarised so much of what her life had become and what she'd gone through. No one else had seen it, other than Oneakka who had been the one to design and tattoo it onto her side. The dark Wraith markings that that inspired the Elite given tattoo had been woven into new elegant twists of black ink, which all gathered up several inches along her ribs to form the artistic shape of a raven looking out from behind her left breast.

She ran her fingers over the ink, but it just felt like her own skin now.

She frowned at the frowning face in the mirror, which only frowned further. She relaxed her newer fleshed features. She was definitely looking older too – her youth was past her, not that she thought about it with any nostalgia. There was nothing but bad memories back there. Yet, she could see that her body and face were now the strong full shape of a grown woman.

Maturity brought responsibilities though and she turned from the mirror and consulted the time. It wouldn't do to keep the Elite male waiting; he'd only whinge about it.

She headed out of the bathroom, the door opening to reveal her small, and far cooler, quarters attached to her luxurious bathroom. The quarters were very small - just one narrow room and the bathroom - but it was her home now and provided all she needed. She had a bed with a delicious Elite mattress across from the bathroom's door, a set of drawers that held her growing collection of clothing in the far left corner, and a small table and a chair in the near left corner by the bathroom door. A wall screen provided her access to the Facility's standard database and information, and to the right a narrow space led to the only entrance in and out of the quarters.

She pulled on fresh underwear and considered her ever increasing selection of colourful tops in one drawer. She decided on one of the newest, a bright green top that did not have too low of a neckline. She pulled it on and then slid into her favourite black trousers and boots.

She checked her hair once more in the reflection of the wall screen as she triggered it alive to see if she had any more messages. Only a few group ones for the Project meeting later. She scanned them quickly, but they were just a discussion around how the project group would present their latest findings and experiments to the Elite. She wasn't worried; the project had at least another year, if not more, to run before it created a real live working new computer system with its very own unique computer coding. The Elite would be prepared to wait for something that important, but the other project members were concerned to present matters correctly at the regular review.

Satisfied she was timing things well, she gathered up her thin jacket, laying it over her arm, stacking her main computer tablet - altered with extra security features to prevent her from altering its coding - and two small pads on top. Ready to go, she checked her hair once more and again made sure the neckline of her top wasn't too low.

With that, she triggered open her door out of her quarters and stepped out into the corridor outside. Only, she pulled up short, as a very familiar looking goat was sat across the wide corridor looking up at her expectantly.

Seeal's mouth dropped open and, for a bizarre moment, she actually looked around her to check that she wasn't somehow back on the Sythus. No, she was still in the Facility.

"What are _you_ doing here?" She asked the goat, which was now standing up and moving towards her as it had done so often on the Sythus. Seeal frowned at the wobbling gait of the creature, its belly protruding out both sides.

"Are you pregnant?" She asked the goat next, which was stupid because the animal wasn't about to answer her. Instead it just snuffled at the free hand Seeal instinctively held out to greet it. The warm fluffy hair of the goat was as familiar as the innocent pleasure it seemed to show.

"I don't know how you got here," Seeal informed the goat as she turned back to make sure her quarters door had closed, "but I don't have time to find out where you came from. You're just going to have to come with me for first meal."

The goat brushed its nose against her trouser pockets, but Seeal brushed it away. "There's no food in there. I'll see what I can find in the canteen." She led the way forward. "I hope you can keep up, because he'll grumble if I'm late."

Looking back, Seeal was pleased to see the goat was following, though slightly slower than it had used to do, but it was moving well enough. The canteen she was headed to wasn't that far away, so Seeal maintained a reasonable pace all the way there, glancing at the uppermost pad on her arm which displayed the latest report she'd sent Oneakka. She was vaguely aware of a few surprised and confused looks from people she passed in the corridors – presumably none of them had seen the goat before either. Seeal ignored them and soon enough arrived at the large open doorway to the canteen that was her and Oneakka's preferred meeting place.

The second she entered, she looked off towards their usual table, set in the most strategically placed spot in the large room, and, sure enough, there he was. He was sat in his usual seat, his back to the wall, shoulders wide, bare pale arms, and all his attention was focused on the pad in his hand. Presumably he was also listening to Massa who was sat across from him.

Seeal squashed the little flash of disappointment to see he wasn't alone. She preferred it when it was just the two of them. That said, she didn't mind Massa and his adopted baby Aki' presence. Before Oneakka had started staying in the Facility, she hadn't interacted with Massa much. He'd seemed stern and watchful, though polite enough. However, it had now become clear that Massa and Oneakka were old friends and clearly enjoyed spending time together. Well, Massa seemed to outwardly show that enjoyment more, as he seemed to take great delight in teasing Oneakka about anything. She hadn't seen anyone else tease Oneakka before like Massa did, no one else would probably dare, but he didn't seem to mind it. Well, most of the time.

Today, Massa was clearly doing the talking while also feeding little Aki set up on a high seat beside him. Oneakka's attention was focused on the pad in his left hand, while there was a large piece of bread held in his right hand that he appeared to have forgotten about it.

As Seeal headed across the large table-filled canteen, she glanced down and saw that the goat had kept up with her and was still following along behind. Happy her pregnant animal sidekick was still with her, Seeal assessed Oneakka as she approached. He appeared intact from his mission, having all his limbs still and no signs of any bandages. His hair had grown slightly, just fractionally longer at the front so that it was now slightly falling forward to touch his forehead.

She saw the second he noted her approach and looked up and round towards her, which brought a pale bruise into view over his left eyebrow. So, not entirely injury free after all.

As was annoyingly always the case, she felt that stupid flutter in her middle when locking eyes with him after having been apart. The whole handsome rugged hero thing never seemed to fade from the oaf of a stubborn Elite; it really wasn't fair. Still, she was pretty sure she kept the soft silly feelings well hidden.

She stopped a few feet from the table and her first words, without thinking, were, "the goat is here," she announced.

Okay, so made she overcompensated for the stupid soft feelings sometimes, but it was far better than gushing over seeing the man alive.

The goat, for her part, kept on walking towards Oneakka and he reached out a hand to greet it. "Well spotted," he responded sarcastically. He wasn't surprised at all at the goat's presence.

" _You_ brought her here," Seeal concluded the obvious, which she should have realised.

"She's pregnant," Oneakka supplied by way of simple explanation.

"Yes, that's obvious," Seeal returned.

"Only recently," he argued though for some reason. The goat sat down by Oneakka's side, shifting her enlarged belly around with apparent ease.

"And how did that happen?" Seeal demanded, unsure why she was pushing the matter.

"You don't know how _that_ happens?" Oneakka replied, one eyebrow lifting above his strangely blue eyes.

She rolled her eyes at the sexual reference. "I know how _that_ happens," she responded, "I mean has she been pregnant the whole time on the Sythus or is this a new development?"

"Apparently she's been pregnant the entire time," Oneakka answered directly this time.

He was dressed in one of his under armour shirts; the shape the same as his moulded body armour, but presumably more comfortable when in the Facility. It meant his long pale muscular arms were still on display, one hand resting almost protectively on the goat's shoulder as it sat by him. Seeal had never met anyone with as pale a complexion as Oneakka, but it was, annoyingly, not unattractive. He kind of reminded her of sun warmed snow.

She looked away sharply and focused on moving around the table behind Massa and Aki to head to her usual seat on the other side of Oneakka.

"Good morning, Seeal," Massa smiled up at her as she passed by him. He held a spoon filled with something bright and orange in one hand, which he offered to baby Aki.

"Good morning, Honoured Elite," she returned politely to Massa as she reached her seat and set her tablet and pads down on the surface. As she did, she glanced at Oneakka's two pads lying on the table by his tray. He was looking through scan data again. She'd noticed that he had been working on something recently, something that made him frown each time he worked on whatever it was. Today's data looked like it was stellar scan readings.

Oneakka's pale strong hand came into view and he picked up the pads and turned them over into a stack. She met his gaze directly as she sat down beside him, letting him know she wasn't embarrassed about having taken an interest in whatever he happened to leave lying on the table for all to see. If the data were truly secret, he wouldn't be reading it in here anyway.

She slid her gaze to his new bruise, assessing the damage. She could make out a series of tiny small scratches in and around the bruise, but they were healed up almost completely. He'd either been hit by something or he'd hit his head against something with jagged edges. She wondered which had been the case.

"What happened to your forehead?" She asked directly as she turned in her seat, hanging her light jacket over the back of her chair. She didn't really need the thing, as the Facility wasn't cold to her, but she preferred to have the option to be warmer.

"A Wraith," he supplied simply as he looked away.

"I'm assuming it's not going to be hurting anyone else?" She asked, while belatedly realising that she hadn't selected any food on the way to the table; she would get something in the Project room where there was usually fruit available for long meetings.

"No, it won't," he confirmed.

"Good."

And like that, he was back and they were once again sat alongside each other at their usual table. She realised that she hadn't technically said hello to him, but it was too late now.

"You are looking well this morning, Seeal," Massa put in from across the table, smiling in that bright amused way he did when he was sat with her and Oneakka. "That's a new top you're wearing, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is," she confirmed, a little thrown for a moment by the compliment.

"It is a flattering colour on you. Doesn't she look nice, Oneakka?" Massa asked.

Oneakka muttered something indistinct as he leant away to pay more attention to the goat on his other side. Seeal didn't bother to roll her eyes at that - getting a compliment out of Oneakka required a minimum of saving an entire crew of a spaceship from immediate death, and, even then, he usually offered a simple nod. She didn't need his approval anyway.

"Thank you," she replied to Massa, glancing away to meet the little baby eyes of Aki, who was smiling at her. She smiled back, amused to watch as Massa cleaned orange goop from around Aki' little beaming face.

"You got back here late last night," Oneakka asked from her right.

She tensed instantly and looked at him sharply. "Did you speak to Madesh?" She demanded.

Oneakka had been lifting his previously forgotten piece of bread to his mouth, but now froze, his full absolute attention swinging back on her. "Why?" He asked, clearly not having known anything before she had over-reacted to his question.

"No reason," she attempted to dismiss the subject. "Did you get the report I sent you?"

"Yes, I've read it," he answered, his bread once again forgotten. "What happened last night?" He pushed. Of course he would.

"We visited a Satedan moon," she supplied an honest answer.

He lowered his bread. "We?" He asked, which wasn't quite the question she had expected him to focus on.

"My usual group from the Sythus," she supplied. "Did you read all the report on the database research?" She asked him.

"What was on the Satedan moon?" Oneakka asked though, blatantly ignoring her attempt to redirect the conversation.

She met his very blue eyes, but it felt slightly difficult to maintain eye contact this morning because she was feeling slightly guilty about ruining the music festival last night. It hadn't been her fault, but then the brawl wouldn't have happened if she hadn't been there, so did that make her responsible?

"We went to a music festival," she informed him.

"As part of your continuing mission to listen to every piece of music ever produced in the Alliance?" He asked, his stubborn interest shifting to teasing in the blink of an eye.

"Exactly," she agreed. "Now the report-"

"What happened at the music festival?"

"Music," she sighed. "Can we get to work? I have a meeting to go to soon."

"Ah, the latest project review meeting," Massa entered into the conversation.

"Yes," she confirmed. "Everyone's very nervous about it."

"It'll pass review," Oneakka dismissed the issue. "What happened at the festival?"

Seeal sighed heavily and lowered her pad. She looked at Massa as her only possible source of support. "Has he always been this difficult?"

"Yes," Massa confirmed her suspicion instantly. "But he was far more boisterous when he was younger."

" _Boisterous_?" Seeal repeated the surprising word, shocked at the description of Oneakka.

"I could tell you stories," Massa's dark eyes glittered.

"Like what?" Seeal asked, the prospect appealing.

Massa leant forward and pointed up to the centre of his head. "He used to have a mohawk."

Seeal almost dropped her jaw open at the sudden supply of such juicy information on the younger Oneakka. "Really?"

" _Massa_ ," Oneakka warned his friend.

"That seems very playful for you," she teased Oneakka, looking from the bright eyed Massa to him.

"I was young," he answered.

"Even when he first arrived here he was twice the height of any of the other children his age," Massa added.

"Typical," Seeal smiled, "always standing out in the crowd."

Oneakka glanced at her at that, almost as if he rather liked that interpretation.

"And the Mohawk stayed for many years," Massa commented.

"Don't you have to take Aki to the Infant Dayroom?" Oneakka asked him.

"True enough," Massa agreed with a smile. "What time is Halling expected to arrive today?" He asked as he set his large dark hands on the table top and started to stand up.

"Jobrill said she should reach the Sythus after mid meal," Oneakka answered him. "Halling said he'd come straight here after the handover."

Massa nodded as he picked up little Aki. "Good. And let me know when you find out what happened to Seeal at the music festival," he added as he smiled at her. "It sounds interesting."

"I'll find out," Oneakka promised as if there was no doubt.

Seeal glared at Oneakka. "It's not fair that you always get your way," she complained, which sounded annoyingly childish to her the second the words were out of her mouth.

Massa, about to move away, paused and leant forward across the table towards her.

"Maybe you should ask him what 'Oneakka' means in Ugun," Massa suggested.

" _Massa_!" Oneakka snapped angrily. The reaction was so sudden and angry, that Seeal almost jumped in her chair.

Massa just grinned though and walked away, clearly very pleased with Oneakka's dramatic reaction.

Oneakka glared hard at Massa as he left, watching as the other male turned and headed away across the canteen.

Seeal waited patiently, her interest beyond piqued.

Oneakka kept his profile to her, and, presumably only once Massa had left the canteen, he finally picked up his pad again and tapped it awake. "We should discuss the report."

Seeal wasn't going to go for that. "So, what does Onea-"

"No," he interrupted her firmly, glaring at her now.

"No?" She purposefully misinterpreted him. "That would be a good name for you; you're always stubborn and difficult."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Says the woman who won't tell me what happened at a music festival."

"It's not important; unlike your name."

"I'm not going to tell you," he stated definitively, giving her his best stubborn look.

"Why not?" She pushed.

"Because it's private," he answered. It was actually a good answer, but she had other options.

"There's bound to be translations of the Ugun language in the Alliance database," she considered out loud.

"None of them include name translations," he informed her.

She narrowed her eyes at him, trying to tell whether he was bluffing or not. "I don't believe you," she tested.

"If you want to waste hours of your time going through the database for nothing, that's your business."

She studied him, trying to work out if it was worth some of her time to see if he was right. He looked pretty confident in his statement.

"Why are you still running the credit channel checks?" He asked, indicating the report.

She sighed heavily. "Do we have to have this discussion every single time?"

"You keep making the argument that it could lead to something useful, but it's been weeks and you've found nothing," he countered.

She was aware that already there was a more relaxed feel in the air between them; now it was just the two of them.

"There's only nothing until I find something," she argued with a smile.

He shook his head at her logic, but a faint smile crossed his face before he turned back to the pad's screen. "Why didn't Robiah reply about the shipping intell?"

"There was something about a delay in supply information," she answered as she returned her attention to the data again.

"Delay?" Oneakka asked.

She looked round, surprised at the concern in his voice. "I think it's something to do with the border issues."

One brown eyebrow lifted. "What do you know about any border issues?"

"I read the recent news in the links," she answered. "I assumed he was referring to the reprisal attacks from the Wraith along the border from the Nest System."

"Maybe," he answered, but she could tell he wasn't convinced.

"Something else going on?" She asked, wondering if it had anything to do with his little side project that he wasn't sharing with her.

"Hopefully not," he answered distractedly. "There's not much more on the former Councillor's history you were searching."

"No," Seeal frowned. "Hardly any dirt; makes you wonder why Toshka had a file on the woman if there wasn't anything useful there."

"Apparently one only finds something useful by obsessively searching for it," Oneakka repeated her own argument.

"I'm not obsessive," Seeal objected.

"How many pieces of music have you collected in the last few weeks?" He challenged, looking round again, his sharp intense stare back on her.

"That's different," she disagreed. "My interest in music is a hobby."

"Hobby is just another term for an obsession."

"You have more books and scrolls in your Sythus quarters than are in some libraries," she pointed out.

"I never said I wasn't obsessive," he answered, surprising her, as did his smile. "There's nothing new here," he concluded of the report, the stunning smile disappearing instantly as he turned back to the pad.

"But some possible avenues," Seeal pointed out the positive, but he was right, there had been little progress in the last few days.

Oneakka dropped his pad to the table and sat back in his chair with what sounded like a frustrated sigh.

There was definitely something up with him and she guessed it was this extra unknown project of his. Whatever it was, it had been stewing in him for weeks now, but she didn't have enough clues to work out what it might be about yet. Clearly something involving stellar scans, or was that just his normal Elite work?

She studied his slightly stressed looking profile and realised that she really wanted to say something to make him feel better. She'd kept asking what he was working on, but he always avoided answering her. She guessed it was something top secret, or, perhaps, something personal.

"What happened in the music festival?" He asked into the quiet pause, unsurprisingly not letting the matter drop.

She let out a heavy breath. "I inadvertently started a mass brawl," she confessed.

He clearly hadn't expected that answer, but then the whole event had been a surprise for her too. "How?" he asked, bemused.

"They're Satedans, it doesn't take much."

He angled his head in agreement. "True."

"It was the festival's own security that were to blame."

"Sure," Oneakka uttered doubtfully.

She glared at him. "It wasn't my fault."

"Your life mantra," he replied with a heavy dose of teasing and, annoyingly, knowing her well now.

She pulled a face at his comment. "I did the right thing. I pointed out a wanted criminal to security and they decided to rush the band on the stage-"

"Why the band?"

"I think Nessus was perhaps acting as their manager or something," she shrugged off the small detail.

"Nessus, the infamous war criminal the Satedans announced they captured this morning?"

"Yes," she confirmed.

"Did you know him?" He asked with a frown.

"No," she confirmed for him, "but Creass was part of the group that 'removed' him from the criminal ranks."

"So how did pointing out a wanted criminal cause a mass brawl?" He asked, sounding like he was honestly interested in how it had come about.

"Nessus was stood in the wings of the stage and Satedan security rushed the band while they were playing, and the rest was their fault."

"The rest?" He prompted.

Seeal returned her full attention to her report. "Some looting and...some fires." She looked quickly back to him. "I didn't start them."

He shook his head, but appeared more amused than anything, which was good.

"I should call you 'Trouble' rather than 'Raven'," he muttered as he picked up another pad from the table. "Did you and Madesh keep to the training programme the last few days?" He asked.

"You ask that like you haven't already checked we were in the usual gym together for long enough to have done the training programme," she guessed.

"You could have been sitting and talking the whole time," he countered.

"Me, maybe, but not Madesh," she replied.

He conceded that point to her as well with a vague shrug. "Did you keep to the programme?" He asked as he tapped his pad's screen, calling up those lists of stellar scans again.

"Yes," she confirmed heavily. "Mostly," she added though.

Blue eyes turned back to her, looking at her from the corners of his eyes. This side of his profile was untouched by scars or ink, and the expanse of pale skin only made his unusual blue eyes seem more piercing.

"There may have been some talking that slowed us down," she admitted.

"Talking about visiting music festivals."

"And other places," she amended.

"It's important to keep to the training programme," he insisted more seriously now. He had been pretty insistent about the training. It was almost as if he was expecting trouble.

"I can hold my own in a fight," she stated, again not for the first time.

"You need to be proficient in all forms of weaponry."

"I don't see how likely it is that I find myself cornered by a Wraith and all I have is a javelin."

"How about a long pointed stick?"

"When is that likely to happen?" She pushed.

"It's happened to me," he answered, slightly smugly.

"You're an Elite warrior."

"You're living with Elite warriors. We must always be prepared for an attack."

"The Elite life mantra," Seeal muttered as she turned to pick up her jacket. "Well, as thrilling as catching up has been, I have to leave for the project meeting."

"Training this evening will be the same time as before," Oneakka stated as she stood up.

"Of course it will," she replied as she gathered up her tablet and pads. "Are you going to take the goat back to wherever it's living?"

"Didn't you find her in the Hydroponics Bay?" Oneakka asked, looking up from his data list.

"No, she was waiting for me outside my quarters, like she used to do on the Sythus," Seeal reported as she moved around the table to leave. "I have no idea how she knew I was here, let alone found my quarters." The goat was dozing, sat slumped against Oneakka's chair.

"Probably your smell," Oneakka supplied, which, though no doubt accurate, had a clear teasing tone to it.

Seeal paused. "Are you implying I smell?" She knew she didn't; she'd just showered.

"All creatures smell," Oneakka returned his focus to his pad, slipping into that intense focus of his. As soon as she was out of sight he would no doubt forget her. "Some more than others," he added though.

Seeal glared at him, but he was focused on the pad.

She resisted the urge to sniff at herself to make sure she didn't stink.

"Maybe I should get good at throwing a javelin," she muttered.

As she predicted, his eyes lifted up to her as she moved away, having heard her.

She smiled overly sweetly to him over her shoulder and then continued on her way to the canteen's exit. She shifted her tablet and pads around in her arm, and turned her mind towards the fast approaching meeting. She was prepared, but she had to focus her mind now on what was required of her to report to the review panel.

As she reached the exit out of the canteen, she paused and glanced back towards Oneakka, now sat alone at the usual table. Well, apart from the goat.

Even from the distance across the room, Seeal could see that the darker mood had settled over Oneakka again. He hadn't moved and all his attention was on the pad in his hand still, but she could tell. It was in his posture, the furrow to his half-inked and half-bruised brow, and the squashing of his upper lip. Something was really worrying at him.

Well, if he wasn't going to share then she couldn't help.

She turned and left, wishing that she didn't want to know so badly.

00000  
TBC


	8. The Departures

**Chapter 8 – The Departures**

Teyla surveyed the stacks of clothing, contemplating changing her mind on the selection. She had chosen which clothes to take with her to Atlantis yesterday evening, but found herself reconsidering this morning.

It was foolish really, and she sighed at her over thinking that suggested anxiety.

She reached for the stack of tops and began to repack them back into her largest bag.

"Are you sure you do not need to take a gift?" Zabetha asked from where she had settled herself on the bedroom floor beside Ketra. Somehow, Zabetha made even sitting on the floor look elegant. Ketra was curled up beside her, chin on Zabetha's leg.

"I checked with John and he said it is not expected," Teyla confirmed, as she had already done twice this morning. "As I explained to you and Father over first meal," Teyla reminded her.

Zabetha just smiled though as she stroked one graceful hand along Ketra's back. "I am just making certain." Just a year ago Teyla knew that such a discussion might have initiated an argument between them, but much had changed.

"I have visited Atlantis before," Teyla reminded her. "Everything will be fine."

Zabetha glanced up from Ketra. "Of course it will."

Teyla frowned at her sister's tone. It implied that she was the one calming things.

"I have stayed in the city before and I know their procedures," Teyla repeated as she pushed the last of her clothing into the bag and worked the top closed. The interlinking button holes resisted her attempt to align them though, so she reached in and pressed down on the clothing inside and tugged harder on the bag's top edges.

"Not in the position of importance that you will have this time," Zabetha answered.

The bag was still resisting Teyla's attempts to close it. She reached further into it and adjusted items at the bottom to create more space. "I am used to being the focus of attention," she told her sister, now elbow deep in the bag. "I am used to facing difficulty," she shifted a shoe in the corner of the bag and tried again to close it.

The bag would not close.

"Si will be with me," she added to Zabetha, "and I am simply a Portal journey away from here or anywhere else." She reached back down into the bag again and crushed her socks and underwear further to the sides beneath her more carefully layered tops, trousers, and a jacket. "Everything will be fine," she stressed.

She pushed everything down again, but the top edges of the bag still would not align enough to secure the buttons closed. There was too much fabric inside.

"As long as no one in Atlantis requires a bag to be closed, you should, indeed, be fine," Zabetha commented as she stood up from the floor. "Here, let me assist you."

Teyla wanted to turn down the help, but she was fast running out of time and she needed everything inside the bag. "I should not have repacked it," she explained as Zabetha set her hands on the top of the bag and pushed her weight into it, which allowed Teyla to finally tug the bag's top edges together and secure the buttons easily. "Thank you."

"Is there anything else you need to take?" Zabetha asked turning to look round Teyla's bedroom. "When I visit Rhakshar's family with him, I like to take an ornament with me. It is something to have from home."

It was a common enough practice among their people, but one that Teyla did not indulge, but she understood her sister's kindness in the suggestion.

"I have everything I require," Teyla replied as she picked up her bag and set it on the floor beside her weapons and then folded her long coat over it. She then turned back to her smaller bag which held her more usual travelling items – toiletries, a knife, a few pieces of the most common Alliance physical currency, her two electronic pads, Ketra's favourite toy, and a small medical aid kit. She checked them all through with far more familiarity than having to pack so many pieces of clothing. Travelling between the Sythus, Training Facility, and Tjaru was never so difficult, as she had separate wardrobes of clothing in each. Perhaps she would need to build up one in Atlantis, considering that she would be spending so many days staying there now.

"I am going to miss you," Zabetha uttered as she settled back down on the floor.

"I shall miss you as well," Teyla replied as she checked the items in the small emergency medical kit. It included items for Ketra as much as for a human.

"I was speaking to Ketra," Zabetha replied, the smile clear in her voice, "but I, of course, will miss you too."

Teyla gave her sister a smile. "I believe you are missing your husband far more than you will us."

Zabetha blushed faintly, as she nearly always did when speaking about Rhakshar. "He will be returning in a few days." Rhakshar had left with his family after the Conference last night for a short stay on Xinda.

The two usually spent the majority of their time on Athos, as Zabetha's duties in assisting Father took preference, but occasionally Rhakshar visited his family alone.

"He was invited to visit with High Councillor Fovea," Zabetha supplied with clear pride.

"The Councillor gave an excellent speech at the Closing Ceremony yesterday," Teyla noted as she pulled out each of her toiletries to check on levels of moisturiser and hair cleanser. She had done all of this last night, but it did not hurt to do so again.

"It was excellent, though it's not what everyone's _really_ talking about," Zabetha said.

Teyla glanced round at the tone Zabetha had used. "What do you mean?"

"The gossip mills are turning over Mistress Nigh attempting to seduce John," Zabetha smiled.

Teyla rolled her eyes. "I am sure people have far more interesting things to discuss following a major Intergalactic Conference." She rechecked her bag one last time and finally admitted she had everything she needed. She closed it securely and set it down by her other bag.

"The rumour is that you were ready to behead Mistress Nigh," Zabetha supplied, for some reason finding the subject amusing.

"She understands her mistake," Teyla summarised. Nigh would not be approaching John again, and Teyla hoped that the brief near altercation would have sent a clear message to the other females who had apparently all been fawning over John in Teyla's absence. She had arrived into the buffet room yesterday to see various females attempting to catch John's eye as he had been moving through the tight press of people.

Of course, it would take a woman of such sexual aggression as Mistress Nigh to actually be so bold as to openly try to entice John in front of an entire room. Teyla had approached Nigh directly, realising only afterwards that she had essentially stalked up behind the woman. Nigh had left quickly enough, and Teyla had kept her eyes fixed on the woman, with her curvaceous backside and overly revealing clothing, until she had disappeared out of the room.

It was in fact very common in Political Marriages for potential lovers to make their offers, seeing an opportunity to associate themselves with important figures. And John was now one of the most newly famous members of the Alliance.

That he was so exceptionally handsome had only added to his regard by the many appreciative eyes that had been looking his way during the Conference. It had been typical that, with her being away on a mission, that those interested parties had started to circle John. But, with her return, and an example made of Nigh, Teyla was not overly concerned.

Besides, John had look quite intimidated by Nigh's approach and had clearly required saving, again. She would have to remember to tease him about that during her stay.

Though she had felt quite conflicted and somewhat wistful yesterday being back in John's presence, worrying about how things would be between them, she had woken this morning with a fresh perspective. A good night's sleep had done her wonders and she felt her more confident self. She had important work to see to in Atlantis for the Elite and Athos, and she had faith that she and John would cope with their new living arrangements.

All would be well. She was determined to ensure that it would be.

"The next time that John visits here when you are away, I will make sure to keep a close eye out for Mistress Nigh," Zabetha promised.

Teyla glanced at Zabetha with interest. "Do I detect some personal annoyance directed towards Mistress Nigh? Did she approach Rhakshar at some point?"

"He made sure she understood that he had no interest," Zabetha stated firmly.

"I have no doubt of that," Teyla smiled. "Rhakshar is devoted to you."

Zabetha smiled and her cheeks flushed again.

A light buzz echoed through the next room. "Someone is calling through," Teyla commented as she headed out of her bedroom and triggered awake her wall screen just inside her living space. The Governing Complex's announcer's voice spoke out immediately.

"Honoured Elite, a link is coming through with Elite level clearance," the voice reported.

"Thank you. Send it through to my screen," Teyla replied.

Teyla looked round to see that Zabetha was already heading towards her. "I shall see you downstairs when you are ready to leave," Zabetha uttered, touching Teyla's arm as she passed.

"I shall see you there," Teyla smiled and waited until Zabetha had left, and the door to her quarters had slid shut, before she triggered awake what was an Elite ears only frequency.

She tapped in her security code and Halling appeared on the screen. His Sythus quarters were slightly dark behind him and he looked up from a bag of his own that he had been packing while he waited to be put through to her. "Greetings, Teyla."

"Greetings, Halling," Teyla beamed, desperately relieved that he was making contact. Despite Oneakka's insistence that Halling was well, she had remained concerned at not hearing from Halling and had sent him another link message yesterday evening. "I am pleased to see you."

"And I you," he smiled back as he approached the camera so that his face filled more of the view. "I apologise for not having responded to your messages."

"As long as you are well," Teyla replied, though she thought she saw some tiredness around his eyes.

"I am," he confirmed. "I am glad I reached you before you departed Tjaru. I wanted to wish you well for your stay away."

"Thank you, Halling," she smiled as she moved back slightly to sit down on one sofa, knowing the screen's camera capture would follow her. "I hope you do not take offence that I invited Si to join me. Perhaps you could join me on my next visit to Atlantis."

"I am not offended, Teyla," Halling smiled. He did look tired. "I am about to leave to stay at the Facility and wanted to make sure you knew where I would be, and that Oneakka and I are available if you require us."

"Have you had enough of staying on the Sythus?"

"Indeed," he replied, but it sounded oddly hollow. "The repairs are going very well, but, with the additional structural work, we are estimating at least a further monthly rotation until she will be whole again."

Teyla had read the latest update on the additional upgrades being added to the Sythus, but it was good to hear it from Halling directly. "Who is replacing you on the Sythus?"

"Jobrill is due to arrive soon and she will see out the rest of the dock stay along with Nalla."

"Good," Teyla nodded. "Please send them both my regards."

"I shall."

Teyla studied her friend, unable to identify what it was that bothered her in his appearance, but her instincts told her that something was wrong.

"Is everything is alright, Halling?" She asked him directly, keeping her tone soft. She could not remember a day in which she had not known Halling. Though he was older and had left Athos to join the Elite training earlier than her, they had both been part of the same forest camp. He felt like family to her, and that connection and intimacy told her something was wrong.

"I am fine," he replied, which she knew wasn't true, though she could not say how. She felt a little bit of hurt though, to know that he was keeping something from her, but then he was allowed to have his own life and secrets. As was she.

"Oneakka and I have decided to work on the latest prophecy research together, and I look forward to being off ship for awhile," he added.

"This latest prophecy concerns you that much?" She enquired.

"It is a project," Halling replied, his smile clearly strained. "I am sorry not to have visited Athos while you are there and to have missed the Conference."

"Once I have returned from Atlantis, perhaps you can come and stay here. Charin would love to see you, and we could walk through the forest again, back to our old home."

He smiled. "I hope so," he answered.

Teyla frowned at the turn of phrase.

"The stay in the Facility should certainly fill my time. Oneakka has prepared another of his training programmes," Halling reported.

"Oh, that will no doubt take up as much time as your research," Teyla smiled, but the comment felt too much like polite small talk, as John would put it.

"But, once you return," Halling said, "we must make time together."

"Definitely," she promised.

Halling nodded, his eyes lowering and then lifting again. "I have always thought of you as a sister, Teyla."

"You are family to me too, Halling," she smiled appreciating the affectionate words.

"I apologise that I have not made much time for us of late."

"It has only been a number of weeks, Halling. There is plenty of time."

He nodded. "Have you all you need for your stay in the Ancestral City?"

"Yes, I believe so," Teyla replied.

"If you need anything from us, contact us at the Facility," Halling repeated his offer, it apparently very important to him. She wondered then if he was nervous for her in leaving; after all Atlantis was technically in Wraith held space, though the Wraith had not attacked the city in some time.

"Everything will be fine, Halling," she reassured him. "They are very welcoming people."

"Yes, they appear to be, and I hear that the Conference went very well."

"It did. Father is very pleased." A light flashed on the side of the screen. "I am almost due to leave, Halling," she informed him.

"I will let you go and good luck with your stay."

"Give my regards to the others at the Facility, and please hug little Aki for me," she smiled.

"May the Ancestors walk with you, Teyla," Halling added, unusually.

"And with you, Halling. I shall see you soon."

He smiled and the link terminated.

She felt strangely alone as the screen darkened. She worried on her lip a little, wondering if she should contact Oneakka and ask him to watch over Halling. Though, it was an unnecessary thought, for Oneakka would anyway. If there was something wrong, Halling would tell her in his own time.

There was nothing else she could do for him and she had her own life events to deal with today. She headed back into her bedroom and Ketra sat sleepily by the waiting bags. Though Teyla had visited Atlantis before, it would be the first time Ketra had visited and hopefully she would be alright with John's people.

With one last glance around her quarters, feeling somewhat unwilling to leave, Teyla pulled on her coat, slid one sword - as permitted by agreement with Atlantis - into place against her back, one stunner into her holster, and looped the strap of the larger bag around her.

"Come on then, Ketra," Teyla smiled down to her friend, immensely glad that she had insisted on bringing Ketra with her to Atlantis. With many days a year to be spent in Atlantis going forward, Teyla did not like the idea of spending so much time away from her. Besides, Ketra felt like an ally and backup for her in the city.

She headed out of her quarters and made her way down through the Family area of the complex with nervous energy bubbling through her. As she headed down the staircase to the lobby that led out into the rest of the Complex, she could hear Father and Zabetha's voices, which were then added to by another.

As Teyla rounded the bend in the stairs, she smiled at Si' unexpected early arrival. She had assumed they would meet at the Portal as they usually did when leaving Athos together, but here he was, and she felt unexpectedly grateful.

"Honoured Daughter," Father greeted her with unnecessary formality, though perhaps it was for Si' benefit.

Teyla stepped down off the bottom step and headed towards Father, only to see that Charin and Elkaska were also waiting for her.

"Everyone is here," Teyla noted as she reached them, looking around at the smiling faces. She so frequently arrived and departed Athos now that it was usually only Father or Zabetha who saw her off.

"It is an important day," Father intoned, "and we will all see you on your way."

"Thank you," Teyla replied and felt a bubble of emotion rising in her throat. She worked quickly to suppress it, covering it by looking down to check that Ketra was with her. Ketra was busy receiving attention from Si, who she had not seen in many weeks. Si had been enjoying his leisure time with his lady friends in Tjaru and he looked well rested for it.

"We should depart now, so that you reach the Portal on time," Father stated and moved to lead the way out into the main Governing Complex.

They all followed, Si falling into step beside her, Zabetha, Elkaska and Charin following behind, all talking cheerfully.

"I am grateful for your joining me in Atlantis, Si," Teyla told her friend. She noted that he had kept to the agreement and wore only the minimum of weaponry – that could be seen. She had to wonder if he carried more out of sight, but chose not to ask.

"I am looking forward to it," Si replied.

She regarded him closely. "No doubt it is the promise of sparring sessions with those of the Earth military that has you most interested."

Si inclined his head in agreement.

She nodded and focused forward, Ketra having moved ahead, walking along with Father. Ketra looked alert, no doubt sensing something different was happening.

"Everything will be fine," Teyla reiterated out loud again.

"Did you receive the latest advice from the Facility?" Si asked in his deep voice.

"Yes," Teyla confirmed. "If we can negotiate with Atlantis, it could be the most significant advancement in a generation."

"I agree," Si nodded. "I joined some of the Conference days while you and Oneakka were on mission," Si informed her.

She hadn't known that. "You pulled yourself away from your ladies to do so?" She asked, teasing him.

"It was difficult," Si replied with a smile. "I spoke with a few from Atlantis."

"Their official representatives?"

"General O'Neill was one."

She suspected Si had wanted to assess those with power in Atlantis ahead of this visit. "And?"

"He reminded me somewhat of Sheppard," Si informed her, glancing at her with a smile.

She was well aware now that her closest friends among the Elite knew of her former relationship with John and there were occasions now when they seemed to reference it subtly.

"Capable yet informal," Si explained further.

"I do not believe that all of Atlantis and Earth military are the same," Teyla noted. "General O'Neill is quite unique, according to John."

"He spoke frankly, I admired that," Si replied.

"Well, you would," Teyla smiled at him.

"My impression from the General is that Earth's military is eager for negotiation and trade," Si added more usefully.

"I agree," Teyla replied. "It is Colonel Sumner that we need to be somewhat cautious of during our stay."

"I remember him," Si smiled, no doubt recalling the particular occasion when the Colonel, having been exposed to the sleeping drug by Iketani, had passed out at Si' feet.

"Best not to mention that event to him," Teyla suggested.

Si didn't answer, but they were finally arriving at the main lobby and exit out of the Complex. Father, at the lead, stopped in his customary place just inside the lobby and turned to her.

Teyla stepped up to him, setting her bag down, and reached for his shoulders and touched her forehead to his.

"May the Ancestors walk by your side on this momentous day," Father said softly to her as they parted foreheads.

Teyla smiled at him, surprised to see very clear emotion in his expression. His eyes looked almost wet.

She frowned at the sight. She had said so many goodbyes with him, often when she was going to battle and might never return, and yet today he looked more openly emotional than before.

"I will only be there seven days, Father," she reminded him, keeping her hands on his shoulders. "And Colonel Carter has granted me daily link contact through the Portal."

He nodded, but those facts did not seem to lessen his emotion. "I look forward to hearing of your adventures in Atlantis," he smiled. "Please give my highest regards to John, Colonel Carter, and to General O'Neill."

"I will," she assured him, squeezing his shoulders before releasing him.

Zabetha was next forward and then Elkaska and Charin, all of them touching their foreheads to hers as if she were leaving for a great battle.

She picked up her bag, adjusted the other bag's strap around her, and, with Ketra and Si at her side, she walked out through the Complex's main door, waving once more back to her family. They all waved back, all smiles and strange unshed tears in their eyes.

Teyla frowned as she looked ahead to the busy streets of Tjaru ahead of her. "They behave as if I am leaving to war and not to return."

"They never expected you to marry, Teyla," Si intoned from her right, while Ketra walked on her left. "It is a big event for them."

"Surely my wedding day, or the Family First Meal, would be more likely an event for such emotion," Teyla replied, though caught herself looking back over her shoulder as they turned out of view of the Governing Complex. A strange new feeling of nervousness stirred in her belly at leaving her family – she had not felt that feeling in a long time.

"It is new for them," Si suggested.

"I suppose so," Teyla considered.

They fell into companionable silence as they walked through Tjaru, those nodding and smiling to her having no idea where she was headed. It was a momentous day, not even so much for her as an individual, but perhaps more so for the history books of the Alliance's future.

As they headed through the Gateway out of the city, Ketra's warm snout touched against her hand and Teyla smiled down at her friend, stroking Ketra's head and closest ear.

As they walked down the road to the Portal, Teyla spotted the uniform of John's Honour Guard ahead. Vakalis and Shemu were waiting to meet her before she reached the Portal, as planned. So before she reached them, Teyla glanced at Si beside her once more.

"Have you heard from Saoka?" She jumped right into the subject, since she had her own, relatively short, history with Saoka, and she knew that recent revelations about their mutual friend had wounded Si.

"He has attempted to contact me several times," Si supplied, but nothing more.

"You have not spoken with him since you and Oneakka confronted him about the stolen tech moving through his stations?"

"No," Si replied with a weight to his voice that provided the rest of his answer; he had no intention in speaking with Saoka

Teyla did not add anything else, knowing that her silence in turn supplied him with her opinion on the matter. The two men had been close for a long time, and she hoped Si would finally respond to Saoka's attempts at contact.

The personal conversation, short and concise as it always was with her friend, was over and well timed to reach Vakalis and Shemu.

Both guards inclined their heads as she and Si approached, and Vakalis turned and fell into step with them as they continued walking, Shemu following behind.

"Honoured Elite," Vakalis greeted them.

"Lead Vakalis," Teyla greeted him in turn. "Your report?"

"All is well. There is no new intell following the unrest on the Genii homeworld," Vakalis reported. Teyla had tasked John's Honour Guard to work proactively as well as reactively. She had instructed them to watch for any intell regarding the Genii in particular, since John had been targeted by Kolya, and there was the potential of some retaliation from General Maloo. However, nothing had happened so far, but the Genii clearly had a growing problem in their surface cities. According to sources, including Seeal, Kolya was behind most of the unrest by sections of the Genii populace, but there was nothing so far that might be an obvious threat to John.

"Anything regards Commander Kolya?" She asked.

"Nothing new, at all," Vakalis reported the unhappy, but not unexpected, update. "Though my sources report that the Genii do appear to still be trying to locate him out beyond the border, but they have no confirmed details."

Teyla nodded. "Mistress Nigh?" She moved onto the next subject.

"Nothing concerning following yesterday," Vakalis supplied without pause. "There's nothing evident in her history or current affiliations that is immediately worrying. Though, her connections through the Alliance are so complex that it is near impossible to unpick. Her interests have always appeared to be personal rather than political."

Teyla agreed with his assessment from her own knowledge of the woman and her further research last night using Elite access to Division and Enforcement sources.

"Anything else?" Teyla asked. They had reached the point to turn off the road towards the Portal, so Teyla paused, the others with her.

"There have been further threats from the Ancestor Worshipper groups," Vakalis reported.

It was not unexpected. Athos had been the recent focus of the more extreme Ancestor Worshippers who believed that those from Earth had stolen Atlantis from the inhabitants of this galaxy. Their threats had begun even before the Alliance had begun communicating with Atlantis. The threats usually involved demands for Atlantis to be reclaimed by force.

"Do they specifically threaten Major Sheppard?" She asked.

"Yes," Vakalis confirmed. "Enforcement are already acting on the previous batch and there have been several arrests this morning."

Teyla nodded. "Keep watch," she instructed. "If anything needs passing to me, contact the Facility, or, if they are unavailable, via my Father. Elite warriors Oneakka and Halling will be at your disposal at the Training Facility should you need them for anything."

"Yes, Honoured Elite,"

"Good, thank you," Teyla told him. "Tell all the Honour Guard of my appreciation for their continuing good work looking after my husband during his visits here."

"We are here to serve, Honoured Elite," Vakalis replied. "We will be stationed by the Portal and ready for deployment if retreat to Athos is required during your stay away."

Teyla nodded. If something were to happen to Atlantis, she knew Athos, or anywhere in the Alliance, was a possible retreat position through the Portal. And from anywhere in the Alliance, the Honour Guard could be called to her side to protect John. She hoped it would never be necessary, but one had to be prepared for attack at any time.

"Please give our regards to Major Sheppard," Vakalis added.

"I will tell him," Teyla smiled at that, pleased, as she had hoped, that the Honour Guard had been a good match for John. He needed people around him that he could trust to do their work, but with whom he could also maintain some informality, and she had chosen those to match. She was very pleased with her choices, and knew that they were working far more than John realised.

"Honoured Elite," Vakalis nodded and pulled back, allowing her and Si to continue on towards the Portal.

The guards stationed at the Portal were already stood ready for their approach, but it was Si who headed to the dialling device. Teyla waited as the Portal awoke, the inner ring's light turning. She looked down to Ketra at her side, the dragon looking back up to her with curious eyes.

"We are going to Atlantis, Ketra," Teyla told her softly as the Portal flashed and the water-like life of the Portal burst forth and snapped back. "We are going to stay with John."

Ketra tilted her head, recognising John's name, and her skin, reflective of her mood, brightened to glowing silver.

00000

Halling was aware that he had packed far more than usual from his quarters in the Sythus. Normally he would pack a single bag for a stay in the Facility, for his small quarters there had clothes and the basic requirements for a stay. However, he'd now filled three bags with a large mix of clothing, personal items, two of his most favoured Athosian wood carved statues, and several books.

In an attempt to keep at bay the depressed and anxious feelings, he had recently begun reading some of his favourite Athosian stories and myths. He'd found the stories soothed him, perhaps as they so often had the voice of his grandmother as he read the words. She had been taken by the Wraith when he had been young, but he could still remember her voice when she had told him the old stories.

Perhaps it also helped that most of the stories involved the Ancestors arriving to save a hero or to stop a great destruction; Halling knew it was most unlikely that the Ancestors would return to save him from the possible deadly fate ahead of him, but the part of him that still lived in childhood memories told by his grandmother naively hoped.

It would not happen though, for the Ancestors had not saved all the colleagues and family members he had lost over the many years of his life. No Elite believed in the Ancestors' power; it was almost foolish to suggest otherwise considering the vast numbers of their dead and the fact that it had been their own hands, along with the Military, that had forged the safe space of Alliance territory.

As he stared out at the bare ground of the Facility's moon passing by below the transport craft, he wondered if he even believed any of those old stories anymore. He'd seen so much death, so much pain and suffering, how could he still, after all this time, indulge in the old stories of Athos that told of the Ancestors' power? The Elite warrior that he was, and further confirmed by the information supplied by those in Atlantis from Earth, knew that the Ancestors had simply been a race of humans. They had made wonderful advances and had brought life to lifeless worlds, but they had simply been people who had made mistakes just like any others. They had fought the Wraith but had essentially lost, so the last of them had retreated forever to Earth.

Why then did he still hope that perhaps the old stories were more accurate somehow; that the Ancestors would indeed save him and this galaxy when the fateful moment Sitayi had predicted arrived? Or, if he were to meet his end, would they be waiting for him to lead him into the blessing life beyond?

The brown landscape shifted angle outside and he recognised that the transport was fast approaching the Training Facility's hidden entrance. Halling looked away from the view and considered his three piled bags.

He knew Oneakka would notice.

That deep hollow place in Halling's chest threatened to overwhelm him again at the thought of what might soon be the last of his days. Oneakka was working so hard to help, to find a way to stop what Sitayi had foreseen.

If he was to die, Sitayi had foretold that it would lead to only more death. An ancient enemy that was secretly preparing would devour the galaxy, killing all life, and everyone would fall. And he would be the first to die.

So, if he could stop it, if he could find out how to save himself, then perhaps he could help save them all from the foretold possible future of destruction.

Except, Halling had found nothing to even hint at a new enemy. There were no clues as to when his fateful day might arrive.

Perhaps that was another reason why he was seeking enlightenment in the old stories – to see if perhaps they held some form of message. Any clue would be useful to help stop the terrible possible future and to stop his mind and emotions from constantly flowing and swamping him.

Or it could just be that there was nothing he, or anyone, could do to save him.

He could be living his last days.

As an Elite warrior, he had spent his entire adult life facing death at the hands of a Wraith or from severe injury, and he'd faced each with honour and readiness. But this, this prophecy had affected him so unexpectedly.

Instead of the Wraith, he was now fighting his own inner demons.

Some were ravenous for his strength and will, and others whispered feelings of defeat and surrender.

And another part of him, well, it suggested that perhaps this was his fate and to accept it.

Of course Oneakka would never agree with such thoughts, so Halling had not shared them.

He had considered speaking with Teyla, but he had shamefully instead avoided speaking with her. He knew that she, like Oneakka, would drop everything to help him, but she had far more important work to focus upon. Her marriage and the military ties it was creating could be what might save life in the future and he would not jeopardise that.

Or was he simply too self-focused now to ask for more help?

He wished that the day would just arrive so that he could face it, and not dwell in fearful thoughts and recurring nightmares of inaction and failure.

Outside the transport's transparent sides, Halling watched as the Recruit pilot lowered them down into the large ravine that held the hidden entrance to the Facility. The pilot slid the transport deeper into the deep rift in the moon's surface and into one of the small docking ports set in one wall of the crevasse.

As the door of the transport opened, Halling lifted his bags out and set them down on the docking port's floor. The busy chatter and footsteps of the Facility surrounded him with welcome distraction and familiarity. He was glad that he'd done this, that he'd agreed with Oneakka's suggestion to return here for awhile. The Facility was one of the few places in the galaxy where Halling felt safe.

He thanked the Recruit pilot as he looped one bag's handle around his back and then another around his shoulders. Picking up the last bag, he turned from the transport and headed into the Facility's clean light corridor.

It was just past midday meal so the Recruits were still on break from studies and many were heading out to training runs out by the Portal. Halling recognised most of the faces around him, though he could not put names to the many Recruits. He had seen most of them grow up through his visits here over the years, and what were young infants and children were now strong and learning Recruits.

It seemed so long ago that he had been equally young and inexperienced. Some days it felt as if no time had passed, and on others he felt the years pressing upon him through old wounds and creaking joints. He had lived a long life for an Elite warrior, and such a life of near constant battle and sparring had its affect on the even the healthiest of bodies. Not for the first time did he consider retirement, perhaps to work here or to return to living on Athos.

If he survived the coming prophesied moment, he promised himself to honestly consider the matter.

He reached the first of the many interconnecting lobbies and headed towards one of the large display panels and computer terminals. He'd promised Oneakka that he would message him as soon as he arrived, though he suspected Oneakka would have an alert out for his personal beacon signal entering the Facility. Nevertheless, he tapped in a quick message to Oneakka's personal link and closed the message. He glanced briefly over the large display of latest alerts and information.

He frowned at a new entry.

Amduat was out of contact. It wasn't all that unusual for the sentry sensor station to lose contact due to the vast distance to that side of the border. There were enough stellar phenomena out there for the link system to struggle on a good day. But, considering Halling had been carefully watching anything to do with the border and-

"Halling!" Massa's voice rang out from across the lobby.

Halling turned to see Massa lifting a dark hand to draw his attention. Smiling at the welcome distraction, Halling headed towards him.

Today, Massa's smiling face felt particularly relevant. Only last year Massa had not looked as he was today – he had been a broken man, his love lost, his unborn babe killed with her, and his own life had looked as it were about to fade away with his grief. He had then almost lost his life fighting Iketani, but he'd gained his vengeance and had healed from severe injury. The signs of that injury were noticeable on his bare forearm just visible under the rolled up sleeve of his shirt. The injury had taken Massa out of battle, but he had become a highly respected teacher here in short time. He had also taken on raising young Aki, Iketani' abandoned baby, as his own.

Looking at Massa now, it was hard to see any sign of the broken man that he had been not that long ago.

It gave Halling a sense of hope for himself.

"Greetings, Massa," Halling called to him as he approached.

"Halling," Massa grinned and stepped forward, initiating a half hug around Halling's bags. "You want help?"

"They are not heavy. I decided to bring some books and extra clothes," found himself excusing the full bags.

"I'm so glad you're here," Massa grinned, which surprised Halling slightly.

"It is good to see you too, Massa," Halling replied as they headed out of the lobby together, though he was slightly surprised at the overly exuberant greeting.

"It is always good to see you, Halling, but someone else has to be around to witness what's going on with Oneakka."

Halling frowned. "Oneakka?"

Oneakka had promised not to tell anyone else about the truth behind the prophecy they were investigating, that Halling's life was linked to what was to come. Was it that Oneakka was obsessing about the research and the others had noticed? Halling had not wanted Oneakka to be drawn into despair by telling him about Sitayi' prediction. He had seen how affected Oneakka had been by Massa's grief, and how he had turned into a one man missile seeking to find everything that Iketani had touched and poisoned. Oneakka hadn't used Iketani' name since the moment they had learnt of her betrayal. Things affected Oneakka far more than he would ever admit, but then considering what had happened to his people...

"What has happened with Oneakka? Is he not well?" Halling probed. Had something happened since yesterday?

Massa snorted. "That is not quite the word for it. It's just wasted on just me watching it. It's so entertaining."

Halling was starting to feel confused.

"I know you and Si said they argue, but I hadn't realised," Massa continued.

"Who are arguing?" Halling asked, feeling as if Massa had started in the middle of a conversation rather than the beginning.

"Oneakka and Seeal," Massa supplied the missing piece of information.

Now Halling understood. "Yes, they argue _constantly_."

He'd had to endure far too much of it on the Sythus. Though he had developed some respect for Seeal and was personally grateful for her part in saving him from the hands of the Queen on the Glisi world, he did not quite take to her overly bold manner. That she and Oneakka argued about everything, whinging and pestering each other into angry spats, had been nothing but a headache to be around.

Though the two had some respect of each other following the dramatic events of the last months, Halling was somewhat surprised that Oneakka appeared to be continuing his childish bickering with her here.

"She has no fear of him at all," Massa reported and Halling nodded.

"She is overly bold and can be somewhat disrespectful to him."

"He's no better," Massa responded. "And with her beauty and cleverness added into the mix, he doesn't know what to do about it."

That gave Halling pause. Beauty and cleverness? He could appreciate that Seeal was a tall and strong woman, but he'd not considered her attractive. That she was highly intelligent was obvious, perhaps too obvious with all the arguing. But such things hardly were a problem for Oneakka.

"What do you mean?" Halling asked Massa as they turned into the main corridor towards the Elite habitation sector of the Facility.

"He's smitten and he hates it," Massa exaggerated each word, clearly enjoying the subject.

Halling blinked at his friend and stopped walking. "Smitten?!" Halling repeated the word in complete disbelief. "Oneakka?"

"It's _so_ entertaining," Massa nodded. "He's so annoyed that I can tell and he just won't admit it for a second."

"Perhaps because it is not true," Halling pointed out. "Oneakka is not the type to become 'smitten' for anyone. He's admitted for years that he doesn't believe in such feelings."

"We both know life doesn't care if you believe in things or not. A female arrives into your life out of nowhere and steals your heart without your say," Massa stated, grief catching his voice slightly.

Halling could understand that Massa believed what he said, but this was Oneakka.

"Massa, you have always been inclined towards things of a romantic nature, are you certain you are not seeing things? I have had to listen to their arguing and bickering, sometimes over the most simplistic things-"

"I've never heard anyone talk to him the way she does," Massa interrupted.

"Given her history and personality, it is not overly surprising, but that does not mean that there is more than just simple antagonism between them."

Massa shook his head. "You'll see what I mean."

Halling frowned at what Massa seemed to think would be the outcome. "Perhaps," he agreed to dismiss the subject and they carried on moving through the Facility. "How are matters here?"

"Much the same, though the main subject of most discussions remains the new contract with Atlantis," Massa reported.

"Understandable," Halling agreed.

He hoped that Teyla's arrival in Atlantis would go well. If he had told her of Sitayi' prophesy he was almost certain that she would have cancelled her trip to Atlantis, and that would be unwise for the contract and would be unlikely to make any difference in what was to come. Sitayi had stated he would be alone in the fateful place of darkness sometime soon, so the time would come with or without Teyla's involvement. She had enough to focus on and he had seen the touches of strain to her expression during their discussion over link.

She had a great weight upon her and he was not going to add more to her burden. He already felt guilty at having shared the burden with Oneakka, but Oneakka had more time and free focus to assist. Teyla's involvement with Atlantis could be vital for all their futures.

He may have to explain that reasoning to her one day, but, for now, he was pleased that her decision to enter into a Political Marriage had yielded such potential benefits.

"...I will bring him by later," Massa was saying, speaking of baby Aki, as Halling spied the door to his quarters ahead. It had been some time since he had stayed in the Facility.

"I am looking forward to seeing young Aki," Halling told Massa.

"He is growing by the hour, let alone over days," Massa smiled.

"In the blink of an eye, he will be a man, Massa," Halling noted as they reached his quarters, and he scanned his wrist's identity implant over the door sensor. The door slid open and the smell of an unused space floated to him.

He stepped inside the single room, inhaling the faint fragrance of the last incense he had burnt in here during his last stay. It had been some months ago now.

He moved across the room and set his bags down on the top of the lightly dusty blanket that covered his wide bed. The room was half the size of his quarters on the Sythus, but they remained far larger than the Recruits' and visitors' quarters in the Facility. Over his bed hung the decorative wall hanging that had hung over each of his beds since his days in the forest camp. It was one of the handful of personal items he had been able to bring with him to begin his training here as a child. It was so long ago now, but it also felt far more recent than he knew it was.

The years had slipped away to training and so many battles.

"Oneakka sent me his training schedule for us," Massa continued as Halling opened one of his bags and pulled out his favourite Athosian statue. "If I'm reading it correctly, he intends to kill us before any Wraith have a chance."

Halling had to smile at that as he wiped a layer of dust away from the table beside his bed and set the statue on the surface. "He sent it to me as well," Halling replied.

"I hate it when he gets bored off mission," Massa mutters. "And the Recruits are always more on edge when he's here."

"It is good for them," Halling remarked as he turned back. "Besides, it is nice to have the few of us here at the same time."

Massa nodded. "It is a shame Si and Emmagan couldn't be here."

Halling moved back to his bags, feeling guilty again about not sharing Sitayi' warning with Teyla. "They have more than enough to focus on in Atlantis," Halling uttered, "undertaking Oneakka's schedule as well would be too much," he added.

"Emmagan is the only one who can keep up with him. Speaking of the troublemaker," Massa muttered.

"What?" Oneakka's voice arrived and Halling turned to see his friend step into view in the still open door into the room with Massa stood in the doorway. Clearly Massa had been anticipating Oneakka's arrival.

"We're discussing your training schedule," Massa supplied. "We think it could be better."

Halling felt another smile cross his face. He should have come back here sooner. "Do not encourage him, Massa."

"I can make it harder," Oneakka volunteered. "I was holding back for you, since you can barely keep your eyes open in the evenings," he told Massa.

"If you ever have children, I will make sure to hound you _every_ evening," Massa promised.

Oneakka shook his head with a frown, and Halling knew the look implied a complete dismissal of even the chance of his being a father. Oneakka instead fixed his intense assessing gaze on Halling.

"It is good to see you, Oneakka," Halling greeted him politely, ignoring the worried assessment. "Jobrill and Teyla send their regards to you both."

Oneakka nodded, his visual inspection presumably complete. "I'd have met you sooner, but I've just come from an emergency meeting."

The atmosphere changed immediately, and both Halling and Massa turned towards him.

"I didn't see that announcement," Massa queried.

"It was impromptu between a few of us near Edfu's office when the news came in," Oneakka supplied, crossing his large pale arms. "The report is on its way out. The Cruiser attacks on the border near the former Nest System have changed tactics."

Halling felt a faint sense of relief to hear the news was about Wraith and not some unknown new enemy.

"Yesterday there was a break in the attacks along the border," Oneakka reported. "Then an hour ago the Cruisers all attacked at once at various points along the border, challenging the Fleet."

Halling took that in. It wasn't all that new tactics, but it suggested that the small attacks were not going to end as soon as hoped.

"What are their strike targets?" Massa asked.

"They're taking out the new sensor platforms going up," Oneakka answered. "The Fleet have deployed defence lines around the satellites, but we've lost three new sensor points already."

"How many Cruisers?" Halling asked.

"The Fleet have been able to identify fifteen so far."

"Causalities?" Massa asked next.

"Only a few fighters, but there were some technicians working on one of the sensor platforms when one Cruiser attacked," Oneakka supplied. "There's also a few sensor echoes that suggest a larger hyperspace window on the furthest edge of the Fleet's sensor reach beyond the border."

"A Hive," Massa stated the most obvious answer.

Oneakka nodded. "Seifer is on the Ballista, coordinating with the Hastos Son. The assumption is that it is the Hive that escaped the Nest System battle."

Halling agreed with that likely assessment.

"Fleet resources?" Massa queried.

"The Fleet are having to stretch further along the border in all directions, which creates obvious problems. They are inflicting more damage than taking, but the consensus is for the Military Council to start pushing out the border again in that region."

"Answer their attack with an offensive," Massa pondered. "I imagine all have agreed so far."

"There are some voices that suggest this is what the Wraith want," Oneakka supplied.

"When do the Military Council sit?" Halling asked.

"In two hours," Oneakka supplied, "but the Councillors are all being briefed en route. The decision will likely be quick."

"We expect expansion?" Massa asked.

"Even if the Wraith are attempting to trick us to attack further out," Oneakka answered, "we cannot hold the border in open space as it is out from the Nest System. There are two solar systems not far out beyond the current border in that area – Emmagan and I cleaned up several Wraith in one of them yesterday." Halling considered the bruise across the left side of Oneakka's forehead from that event. It was wider but far paler than yesterday and the scratches were barely discernible. He had always been a fast healer.

Oneakka had recovered from unbelievable injuries and grief in the past – he would survive Halling's demise.

"We should hear by this evening. The Fleet Commanders are already in consensus to push the border out," Oneakka concluded.

"What's the latest situation with Amduat?" Massa asked.

Oneakka's eyes shifted to Halling, and Halling knew what his friend was worrying over. As Amduat was in a vacant and distant part of both the Alliance and the galaxy as a whole, it was just the type of place some previously unseen enemy might appear. Halling held his friend's gaze, all his attention focused on the answer.

"Station 1641, the closest to Amduat, has sent out one of its sensor scout bots to work as a carry point between the two stations to extend link range," Oneakka reported. "Its most likely just interstellar inference, but the silence continues."

"When will the scout bot be close enough for link communication with Amduat?" Halling asked, knowing the distances involved out to Amduat, even from its neighbouring station, meant that it would take some time to hear anything.

"Maybe in the next few hours," Oneakka winced. "It depends on navigating an asteroid band and whether there is any link interference. Edfu will tell me the instant he hears something."

Halling nodded.

It meant more waiting though.

"Amduat loses contact all the time," Massa said, a faint frown indicating that he'd picked up that they had extra concerns on the subject. "There was that power outage a few years ago; they were out of contact for over a week before a ship reached them."

"Are we sending a ship?" Halling asked.

"There are two border patrol ships already heading there, but the closest is days away even by hyperspace," Oneakka replied.

There was nothing else to be done but wait.

Yet, it felt as if events were suddenly moving now and the nervous fear at the bottom of Halling's stomach stirred.

0000  
TBC


	9. The Arrival

**Note:** Just a quick thank you to everyone who has left reviews for this fic. For those who are listed as guests and not logged onto the site, I am afraid I cannot respond personally to your reviews, but I do read every one and I am grateful for each. Thank you for your support and I'm glad everyone seems to be enjoying this new fic. So here's another instalment...

0000

 **Chapter 9 – The Arrival**

Cowen's fist pounded so hard on his desk that everything on it rattled and jumped several inches across the surface.

Ladon held his reaction inward, as everyone had to do around their Supreme, and easily angered, Leader.

"That is unacceptable!" Cowen stated angrily to his crowded office.

The news had just arrived, fresh from Second City, that there had been another uprising. Though far smaller, it had struck a significant blow. As was common in all major cities on Alliance worlds, there was a small Enforcement building in the Second City, which held a small office that worked as a liaison between local police forces and the greater Alliance wide Enforcement system. The rioters had set the Enforcement building alight.

It was clearly a precision strike by Kolya, chosen to significantly harm the Genii Government's reputation. The Alliance tended to keep out of local governance, but with the Enforcement building still smoking, the arson would draw harsh and intense study of Cowen's handling of the ongoing civil unrest.

And Cowen was not happy about it.

He had called all his senior officials and department heads into his office, packing them all in together to demand action.

"Double the patrols in Second City," Cowen ordered with a snort as he sat back in his large dark office chair.

"We have already doubled them," a very brave Commander General Reed supplied. Martel Reed's large and greying beard hid most of his expressions, but no one doubted the man's opinions on matters military. One of the longest serving Military Commanders, he was highly respected, even by Cowen.

"Then double them again!" Cowen ordered angrily.

"The more soldiers we have put out on the ground, the more the retaliation grows," Reed replied. Ladon felt the entire crowded room grow tense at the very honest and direct summary of recent events. No one else would have the nerve to point out that very obvious fact to Cowen, but Reed was practical and direct.

Cowen turned in his large chair and glared up at Reed stood to his immediate right. "You suggest that we withdraw and let the rioters rule Second City?" He asked with clear disgust.

"I am simply stating that increased patrols are not solving the problem," Reed replied, his tone a perfect balance of calm and respectful.

"What," Cowen spat, "would you suggest now then?"

"A heavier surgical attack," Reed answered. "Individual house searches and interviews."

The atmosphere again shifted in the overly warm office around Ladon.

Such 'interviews' would not involve simple questions; Reed was suggesting interrogations of the Second City's populace.

Ladon angled his head to look through the avenue of heads and shoulders towards his limited view of Cowen. The Supreme Leader was silent, his eyes lowered, thinking.

Was he actually going to authorise the interrogation, and likely torture, of their own people?

"Would such an approach not provoke further retaliation?" Someone asked carefully from the far corner of the room.

"Not responding resolutely would send a far worse message," Reed was the one to answer the question. "We can start with the families of those currently held for engaging in the last two riots."

Their families?

Ladon closed his eyes and took a breath.

This was the plan – to push Cowen into aggressive and poor actions that would turn the populace against him - but interrogating, and probably torturing, innocents? This was not the Genii way.

There was also the worrying possibility that such interrogations might be successful and reveal connections to Kolya. Maybe even back to Ladon himself.

There had to be another way to divert Cowen's attention and help hold off on such aggressive actions.

"Our covet teams are already questioning those in holding," someone reported.

"And now is time to extend such questioning to their families and to make sure that the citizens of Second City are fully aware of what is happening," Reed responded. "They will confess on those responsible in no time."

"They haven't done so thus far," someone else put in from Ladon's left. "Thanks to this morning's attack, we now have Alliance Enforcement watching us with a heavy eye. What will their opinion be if we start using harsher handling on our own populace?"

"It will show that we are responding decisively," Reed countered.

"Why not invite Enforcement in to join in the hunt, use their resources?"

"No!" Cowen cut into the discussion. "I will deal with this."

Ladon held his breath. Cowen was going to do it – he was going to start herding up his own people. Innocent families.

"People are seeing the faces of those starting these riots," Cowen jabbed at the surface of his desk, "and I want names by the end of the day. Commander General-"

"If I may?" Ladon interrupted Cowen's order quickly.

All eyes and heads turned towards Ladon.

"I have an alternative idea," Ladon supplied, his voice surprisingly calm despite the pounding of his heart.

"Who said that?" Cowen demanded, his eyes scanning the full office. "Ladon?"

"Yes, Cowen," Ladon shifted a little so that Cowen could see him better through the tight press of people, which was assisted by the fact that all those around Ladon were now clearly leaning away from him. Ladon had purposefully picked a place in the room where he would not be obvious to Cowen during his rant, but now he was actively stepping into Cowen's angry spotlight. It was risky, but Ladon couldn't let Kolya and Cowen push the Genii into torturing their own.

"What is it?" Cowen demanded.

"If we are after those responsible for starting these events," Ladon replied, his mind working quickly, "we have to consider that they may have purposefully _not_ made any connections to others in Second City. They may be operating from some of the other cities, entering Second City only to create problems and then leave."

"Someone will know who they are," Reed argued.

"For now we do not even know what they look like," Ladon argued back. "How can we interrogate effectively if we do not even know the targets?"

"What then do you suggest, Ladon?" Cowen asked, annoyed, but listening.

"A more advanced approach," Ladon answered. "Improved surveillance will capture footage of those responsible and allow us to target and trace the specific individuals."

A few heads nodded at the idea, clearly leaping on the alternative suggestion.

"We already have cameras on every street corner and these criminals are simply destroying them, blocking their frequencies, or concealing their faces too effectively," Reed replied for Cowen.

"I am suggesting satellite surveillance," Ladon put in. "We can turn one of our orbital sentry satellites round and observe Second City in real time."

Cowen's look of frustrated annoyance shifted to interest in an instant.

The populace of Second City would not be happy about being spied on, but it was a far better option that torture.

"And this surveillance will be able to distinguish individual faces?" Reed asked with a frown.

"No, but the latest resolution will be able to separate individuals. We can simply follow the targets through the City from orbit until we can tie in their location with working cameras on the ground," Ladon supplied. "Then we can use the military facial recognition systems to identify them."

"And if they are using blocking frequencies on the ground cameras?" Reed asked, but he sounded more interested than argumentative now. Ladon knew fully well that Kolya's people could block most of the camera frequencies, because he had been the one to supply the tech to Kolya, but he also knew that it might be necessary to sacrifice a couple of Kolya's loyalists on the ground. If any of them were captured, Ladon knew that they would never give up anything on Kolya, unlike the general people of Second City. It would be worth it to safe those innocents in this growing war.

"We can coordinate with ground forces to intercept targets directly," Ladon supplied.

"Finally," Cowen exclaimed loudly, "someone with an intelligent suggestion. Turn the satellite now, Ladon, and get a team working on real time observation, day and night."

"Yes, Cowen," Ladon nodded, surprised to have convinced Cowen so quickly.

"Shall I still increase the patrols?" Reed asked.

"No," Cowen answered. "Have them on standby to act on surveillance intel," Cowen ordered. "I want the highest penalties for anyone behind these treasonous riots, even those putting up the posters, and I want all those arrested to be paraded on show for all to see."

"Yes, Cowen," Reed nodded.

"Now all of you get out!" Cowen ordered angrily. "I don't want anyone else back in here unless they have something positive to report to me."

The office door was thrown open and everyone started crowding quickly through it, eager to get out of Cowen's line of sight.

"Ladon, stay," Cowen ordered.

Ladon schooled his features carefully as he turned back towards Cowen's desk and waited as everyone else escaped.

The room emptied, Commander General Reed the last out, and the heavy door was shut, sealing Ladon in alone with Cowen.

Cowen looked up at him from his wide backed chair, leaning against one armrest as he assessed Ladon. The Leader rarely had anything but a sour look across his features of late.

"How's your sister?" Cowen opened with. "Dahlia?"

"She is well, thank you," Ladon replied. Was the inquiry designed to show honest interest or as a subtle threat?

"That was good thinking about using the satellite," Cowen said, the compliment surprising Ladon, but then he had worked hard to be a quiet but useful man for Cowen. It had perfectly placed him for what was to come.

As long as Cowen didn't suspect anything.

"Thank you, Cowen."

Cowen shifted slightly in his throne-like chair and contemplated the nails on his right hand, picking under one with his thumb. "Second City worries me, Ladon."

That was clear enough to anyone, but Ladon kept silent.

"My concern is if this unrest grows out of control, like a disease ravaging our people in Second City. If the illness grows too extensive, a more decisive cure may one day be required," Cowen stated, his eyes rising to Ladon.

"A cure?" Ladon asked, uncertain.

"Something that will end the disease in it's entirely. Something that will send a final and clear message to the other cities, both above and below ground," Cowen answered.

"What kind of message?" Ladon asked, though he suspected that he already knew the worrying answer.

One of Cowen's eyebrows lifted with a flicker of annoyance. "One that will make sure that no one else decides to try to spread dissention, drugs, and violence against the rest of the Genii people."

"With the surveillance, we can hope to target those responsible-"

"And if that fails?" Cowen interrupted. "What else is on that satellite?"

"It is a purely surveillance and sensor platform," Ladon answered, struggling to hide his growing concern.

"Is there the potential for more up there?" Cowen asked. "Perhaps something from our military hardware that could be focused down towards Second City."

Ladon felt a cold sensation pass over him. "Something like a missile?"

"Can it be done?" Cowen asked.

Ladon's brain turned, working on the technical problem as much as the ethical. If he gave Cowen the ability to target their own people from space...

"I suppose it could," Ladon considered out loud. "But, the satellite is not designed to take such a payload. I would suggest a specifically designed military satellite." That would take time to build and deploy at least.

"How long would that take?" Cowen asked.

"With enough resources and supplies, perhaps a few months."

"Make it in two weeks, Ladon," Cowen ordered.

There were more than enough excuses and honest reasons to object to that deadline, but Cowen was not in the mood to hear them. Ladon would have to play the game for now.

"Yes, Cowen."

"And I want only your closest and most trusted working on this," Cowen stated. "Commander General Reed will be able to quickly provide you with the military hardware you require for the build."

Ladon nodded.

"And I want an update on turning the surveillance satellite within the hour," Cowen ordered next as he sat forward, his attention switching to something on his desk.

"Yes, Cowen," Ladon bowed his head and left quickly.

00000

He shouldn't feel nervous. It wasn't like Teyla hadn't visited before, or that Atlantis hadn't hosted Alliance and Elite guests before. Teyla had been here several times and had stayed during the Non-Aggression Treaty negotiations, so it wasn't like it was something new.

It didn't really make any sense why he was feeling anxious.

John pondered a better word for the anxious anticipation in his stomach as he stood in the open doorway that was the adjoining link between Teyla's quarters and his own new quarters.

Her room beyond the doorway was ready and waiting for her, empty apart from the basics, the promised kettle and mugs, a mattress on the floor for Ketra, and a tall vase of brightly coloured flowers added by the botany department early this morning.

The empty room felt poignant and he wasn't overly sure why; and why he had been standing here a good ten minutes looking between the empty room and his own cluttered and busy room separated by this single door.

A quick check of his watch told him that he wasn't going to be able to stand around indulging in his unease much longer – he needed to be up in the Gate Room ahead of Teyla's arrival time. But, just one last check couldn't hurt.

He moved into her room and reached out to run one hand along the bare surface of the side unit, checking no dust had appeared overnight. He rarely dusted his own quarters, but he'd been up late last night wiping everything down in her room, wanting to feel useful. It had been roundabout midnight that he'd decided her quarters were just too plain for her. In her Alliance quarters in both Tjaru and on the Sythus, she had blankets, wall hangings, and cushions adding colour and Athosian style brightness. Her new quarters here were far too bland and uninviting, so he'd headed up to the newly established trading stockroom. They had been storing crates of random stuff in the large room to be traded with Athos and other new trading partners, and Colonel Carter had given him free rein to select anything in there that he felt might be nice for Teyla's quarters. So, he'd spent a good hour digging through the stockroom's many crates looking for something to brighten up Teyla's room.

He'd finally found a couple of crates full of blankets and lengths of fabric intended for trade with Athos, which he kind of remembered Woolsey discussing with Elkaska. John had gone through it all, awkwardly trying to refold large curtains and swaths of cloth that he'd extracted from the crates, until he'd found his choice.

It was a large bright Mexican style blanket, and it had instantly given her quarters some much needed cheerful colour.

He soothed the folded blanket, pleased with his choice still. On impulse, he picked it up, shook it out and spread it over her bed. He then changed his mind and turned the blanket widthways across the bed to give a band of colour across the plain military bedding instead. He wasn't sure if that was any better. Clearly interior design wasn't his forte.

He was wasting time on tiny details; he was just nervous. Which was crazy because she'd be fine staying here, and he was looking forward to seeing her.

He checked his watch again. He hadn't wanted to head up to the Gate Room too early, as the IOA crowd were nearly always hanging around up there and they liked to make small talk with him. He didn't mind the General, of course, and he was kind of used to Woolsey now, but the other IOA members liked to ask his opinion on every little detail about the Alliance. How was he supposed to know how they trading in grain? Ask him how to fly an Elite starship and he could help, but not how the Alliance High Council might react to new grain imports.

One last check around Teyla's room and he finally left it alone and headed back into his own room. He repeated his standard ritual before an Alliance meeting and stood in front of his mirror. He smoothed down the front of his standard Atlantis uniform, which was freshly laundered and pressed, and he tugged on the end of his sleeves to pull out some creases.

"Okay, you can do this," he told his reflection. "No sweat."

He turned away from the mirror, slid his sidearm into his holster, and left his new quarters with a determined, and hopefully casual looking, walk. It was only when he was halfway down the corridor outside that he realised that he hadn't shut the adjoining door between his and Teyla's quarters. He stopped in the middle of the hallway and considered going back.

Teyla had left the door between their adjoining quarters on Athos partly open when she'd shown him around there. Besides, it would probably be more inviting for her to see the door open at first.

Did he want the door between their rooms to be 'inviting'? Because that brought up a ton of other questions.

He checked his watch – he was going to be late if he went back.

He'd leave it. Let the door be open, let things fall as they may.

He had no idea what the hell that meant and what he even wanted to happen between him and Teyla anymore. When had things gotten so complicated?

They loved each other, they were married, so why was this so difficult?

He shook his head sharply to clear away the distracting thoughts.

"You okay, Major?" A voice called from behind.

John looked round quickly to see Major Lorne smiling at him.

"What you doing up here?" John asked as Evan fell into step with him.

"Just checking out the routes to your wife's quarters," Evan supplied, and though John knew it was because Lorne's team were to be part of the Elite's guard detail during their stay, Evan had used a suggestive tone.

John tried to smile at the joke, but it felt more like a grimace.

"The whole city is buzzing about the Elites' arrival," Evan continued.

"Ford needs to stop winding everyone up with the promise of space guns," John muttered as they started down a staircase together.

"If we can get our hands on even a fraction of what the Alliance has," Evan repeated the standard excited ideas that had been circling the city these past weeks.

"I know, I know," John nodded. "But, the Elite aren't exactly the types to share their toys with others."

"You and Colonel Carter will convince them," Evan patted him on the back of his shoulder.

"No pressure," John muttered.

"If nothing else," Evan added, "we've got the promise of some serious back up if the Wraith ever attack us directly again."

John winced inwardly to think back to those dark days when the Wraith had laid siege to Atlantis during their first year here. They'd lost good people. If Elizabeth had survived she would have loved the conference on Athos. She'd have been right in there, talking to as many different leaders as possible, learning about all the different cultures.

"Imagine if we could have Alliance energy weapons on the Daedalus and Apollo," Evan continued as John set the pace down the stairs. "With the Asgard shields and beaming technology, we'd really show the Wraith how we can fight."

John nodded as they turned out of the stairwell and headed towards the nearest transporter. "The only way I can see the Alliance, or even the Elite, trading those kinds of weapons is if we give them the Asgard shielding, and the Asgard have forbidden us from sharing their tech."

As the doors to the transporter opened, two Marines stepped out.

"Majors," the Marines both nodded as John and Evan gave them space to exit.

Sumner had regular patrols going around the towers, but especially this one as it now housed some of the IOA and, very soon, Teyla and Si.

"Maybe we could share some of the Goa'uld shield tech," Evan suggested. None of this was new in the many long and, sometimes heated, discussions that John had sat in on between the IOA, General O'Neill, and Colonels Carter, Sumner, Caldwell, and Ellis.

"Yeah, maybe," John agreed, but he wasn't convinced that it would be that easy. Trading blankets, food, and medical supplies was one thing, but weapons dealing was another.

The transporter delivered them into the Central Tower and it was far busier here, with shift changes and a large proportion of the military personnel heading up to the Gate Room. John and Evan joined the line heading up the main metal staircase and John was grateful for the distraction of the additional noise and conversation around him.

He checked his watch as they finally reached the busy Gate Room. Ten minutes to go until the dial in was due from Athos.

The IOA group were all already on the main floor of the Gate Room, all dressed in their best and, fortunately, all chatting among themselves. Sumner was stood nearby with Colonels Caldwell and Ellis, keeping an eye on the personnel all arriving into the large room. John spotted Ford and Rodney stood to one side.

John headed towards them, but Sumner abruptly stepped into view, his uniformed shoulders filling John's path. "You took your time getting here, Major," Sumner stated.

"Sorry, Sir," John replied immediately. "I was just checking over Elite Emmagan's quarters." It was true enough.

"Good," Sumner accepted the explanation quickly and even with a touch of what sounded like approval. That was really starting to freak John out. Out of all the Colonels here, Sumner seemed to be the one who was consistently stating how good the new contract was and that John had done the right thing.

"Colonel Carter wants to see you up in the Control Room," Sumner stated and turned away, his focus returning to barking orders at other people. "Let's have some proper lines, people!"

John looked back towards Ford and Rodney, seeing that Cadman had arrived too now. He caught their eye and tilted his head up in the direction of the Control Room. Cadman and Ford both nodded they understood, while Rodney just frowned and muttered something round to Ford.

John checked his watch yet again as he pushed his way through several dense lines of Marines, and hurried up the wide central stairs.

Colonel Carter was stood in the Control Room next to Chuck's station, the two of them discussing whatever was displayed on the laptop in front of them. John headed towards them, but Carter spotted him and angled her head to one side, indicating the walkway to her office. John obediently headed that way.

"See what you can do about the rota, Chuck," Sam told the technician and then moved around the Ancient console to join John as he walked across the room.

"Colonel," John greeted her as she reached his side, and she kept walking towards her office, so he kept up with her.

"Major. Everything ready for our guests?" She asked.

"Yes, Ma'am," John confirmed.

"Good," she replied as they walked, but her attention was drawn away as she peered down into the Gate Room, no doubt checking everything was in hand, and then she checked her watch too. "I just wanted a quick word with you before we all get distracted."

"Sure," John agreed, having no clue what she wanted to talk about, especially so quickly.

As they stepped onto the walkway from the Control Room to her office, she pulled up and turned towards him. Clearly they were far enough away from everyone else to talk. John held his hands behind his back and waited patiently.

"John," she started, "I know that you're due to return to your standard duties tomorrow, but I'm looking at rescheduling a few things."

"Okay," John wasn't sure where this was going.

Her large blue eyes shifted off him down towards the Gate Room and back again. "It seems that some people are concerned," she said carefully, "about your safety on off-world missions."

John frowned. "They want me grounded?"

"You are an integral part of this new contract with the Alliance, John. If anything were to happen to you-"

"So, they want me sat in my quarters all the time?" John argued.

"I have, and will continue to, point out that you are an active member of the military, not a politician, and the marriage contract makes it very clear that the contract will still hold if something were to happen to either yourself or Elite Emmagan," Carter answered him.

"Exactly," John nodded. They couldn't take him off duty could they? What would he do with his days? Sit in meetings? Never be allowed off-world unless it was to the Alliance? Never let him fly a Jumper again?!

"It's something that we're going to have to discuss further with Earth Defence and the IOA, but, for now, I have agreed to amend your missions somewhat."

" _Somewhat_?" John asked, frustrated annoyance replacing his previous nervousness.

"I've agreed to temporarily limit your team to missions to planets that we've already visited."

John worked not to roll his eyes as he understood what she meant. "Science missions?" He translated.

"Just for now, John. I've reassigned your team's mission tomorrow to Stackhouse's team, and your team will take over the usual scheduled visit at 11:00 escorting Dr Lindsay on her weekly agriculture and fishing education trips to M1K 177."

John held in the response he wanted to give. It wasn't the Colonel's fault.

"It's just for now, John," she assured him. "It's still off-world."

John had to grudgingly accept that.

"Colonel Carter," Chuck called from across the Control Room. "It's almost time."

Carter nodded across to the technician. "Thanks, Chuck." She looked back at John, and he thought he saw something rather like pity in her eyes. "It's just for now, besides there's plenty I need your help with here."

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied as she led them back through the Control Room.

"I know that we discussed that you're not expected to be with the Elite at all times of the day during their visit," she added to him quietly. "But, I'm hoping that, between us, we can work as something of a buffer between the Elite and the IOA."

"I think that's probably a good idea," John said, rather democratically considering the damn IOA wanted to clip his wings.

"As you've stressed in your reports," Carter continued as they turned down towards the main staircase into the Gate Room proper, "the Elite are purely focused on military aspects of the Alliance, and I'm not sure the IOA all appreciate that."

John nodded. The conference with its weeks of seminars and lecturers was okay with the Athosians and everyday people of the Alliance, but the Elite had a more military focus.

She stopped on the top step of the staircase and he held still with her. He glanced down into the Gate Room, the place overly packed with personnel lining the walls but leaving a wide open space in front of the Gate. Everyone was chatting away and there was an air of excitement in the room.

"This expedition," Carter stressed to him, and he focused his attention back on his superior, "was designed to find technology and allies that could help Earth and other worlds back home. If we can work this right, we might be able to fulfil that mandate through this new alliance."

"I agree," John nodded.

"If that takes a few months of reduced missions off-world," she gave him a soft smile, "it'll be worth it, John."

"Yeah," he agreed.

She held his gaze knowingly.

"It'll be worth it," John confirmed.

"Off-world activation!" Chuck shouted from the Control Room and the Gate Room was a sudden rustle of activity as everyone straightened up and the chatter dropped away.

The lights turned on the Gate and John made himself focus back on the present. He'd deal with the mission issue tomorrow. Right now, Teyla was incoming.

His mood lifted instantly.

"Everyone at attention!" Sumner ordered loudly as John headed down the stairs and into the audience watching the Gate lock and the wormhole explode outwards into the crowded room. He squeezed his way between shoulders and pushed out into the front, heading towards the waiting empty space in the IOA line that now stepped forward as the wormhole shimmered back into place. As John stepped up into his place, he glanced back to see that Colonel Carter was still waiting halfway down the stairs, her attention up towards the Control Room's balcony.

"Receiving Elite IDC," Chuck called down.

"Lower the shield and send them permission to come through," Carter called back to him and hurried down the stairs.

John smoothed his jacket down and focused on the watery circle across the room.

Colonel Carter reached his shoulder just as the surface of the wormhole began to flutter with the imminent arrival of their first visitor. John locked his eyes on the movement and, a split second later, Si stepped through.

Si was missing his usual bandolier of grenades, guns, and ammo around his wide muscular chest, but their absence only made the guy look even bigger than normal. Si swept his gaze around the Gate Room in a second, his dark eyes finishing on John as he strode forward. But, John's attention quickly switched to the next swirling shift of the event horizon and he watched as Teyla stepped into the Gate Room.

She was dressed in her favourite long brown coat, her hair was tightly braided back from her forehead and she held her chin high and proud. She was in full Elite mode, and she looked strong and beautiful.

Another shimmer of water and Ketra arrived a step behind Teyla. John felt and heard the instant reaction of the watching audience, most of them never having seen Ketra before.

Ketra, for her part, kept up with Teyla, but her long neck spines rose slightly from her neck as she turned her head round urgently, scanning the mass of strangers suddenly all staring at her. John moved forward quickly so that Ketra could see him in the busy room.

Ketra swung her head round at his approach but she instantly recognised him. The neck spines lowered a fraction, but her eyes were still wide and nervous. No one wanted the big powerful, Wraith-killing dragon nervous.

Teyla's hand came into view though and she touched her elegant fingers to Ketra's head. "At ease, Ketra," John heard her say as he reached them.

"Hey, Ketra," John said softly as he reached out a hand towards the dragon. The long neck spines lowered a fraction more as her soft warm snout touched against his hand and he reached further to rub his hand across her velvety head. Her colouring, usually a light silver when he saw her, was a dull deep grey. "Welcome to Atlantis," John told her.

He felt Ketra relax a little bit more under his hand and, happy she wasn't about to attack anyone, John lifted his attention to Teyla. By moving forward to reassure Ketra, he had ended up standing a lot closer than he had intended during this whole official meet-and-greet, but it felt natural enough with Teyla. She seemed to feel the same because she smiled warmly back at him, but her eyes quickly shifted away to his left.

"Welcome again to Atlantis, Honoured Elite," Colonel Carter spoke loud and cheerfully from the left, and John looked round to see that Carter, General O'Neill and Colonel Sumner had all moved forward with him, the IOA forming a second line behind them.

Teyla inclined her head to Carter. "Thank you for receiving us," she replied, sounding more like her Dad than an Elite.

"You both know General O'Neill, Colonel Sumner," Carter began the usual introductions, which was a bit ridiculous because everyone knew each other.

Teyla exchanged nods with the men, and then Carter started introducing the rest of the IOA lot, maybe more for Si' benefit.

As the nods and pleasantries were exchanged, John returned his attention to Ketra, who had shifted forward so that her shoulder was faintly touching against the outside of his leg. He stroked her back, again aware of the tension in Ketra's body. She was looking off to the right and John glanced that way to see that she was watching the Gate Room's guards who were stood close to the wall, P90s held low. John couldn't be certain, but had to wonder if it was the guns that had Ketra watching them cautiously. Could she recognise the P90s as weapons?

"Hey, Ketra," John whispered to distract her, rubbing right along the top of her back, which he knew she liked. It worked as she looked round, her orange eyes swivelling up to look up at him. He scratched around the back of one of her ears and felt her relax again.

"And, of course, Major Sheppard," Carter finished the introductions, drawing John's attention.

John looked up from Ketra to Teyla and Si. "Hey," he said with probably far too much informality.

John noticed that Sumner was frowning down towards Ketra, but John kept his hand on Ketra's warm head.

"Sheppard," Si replied to John.

"Honoured Elite," John replied more formally, and then turned his smile to Teyla.

Teyla's dark eyes met his and then she was turning further towards him, lifting her hands towards his shoulders to initiate the traditional Athosian greeting. He was used to the forehead touching thing on Athos, usually exchanged it with her at least once for each of his visits, and, if her family were around, he had to do the same with all of them too. It was traditional and a sign of respect, but for some reason he hadn't expected the greeting here and in front of everyone.

But he quickly stepped further towards her, brushing his leg against Ketra slightly as he moved but she didn't startle. He touched his hands on the outer edges of Teyla's strong shoulders and felt hers land on his, and he leant his forehead forward towards her.

"Honoured Husband," she said as their foreheads touched, which they held for a moment and then lifted apart again. It had felt like a little quiet intimate moment for them despite all the eyes watching, and, for perhaps the first time, John kind of understood the tradition a little better.

"Honoured Elite," he smiled at her as they dropped their hands from each other. "Welcome back to Atlantis."

She smiled at him again, but it was once again that polite smile that she gave when there were others around. She broke her gaze from his, glancing down to check on Ketra briefly as she turned back towards Carter and the others.

As she turned, John saw her Elite mantle fully settling back over her, her chin lifting and there was a subtle flex to her jaw as she turned to the others. Knowing her as well as he did now, he realised that she was tense, nervous perhaps. Which kind of made sense, he realised, as she was about to stay in essentially a foreign city for a whole week. Even for an Elite warrior, staying here, mostly by herself, was well out of her comfort zone. Like him, she preferred action over polite political meetings. Plus as much as he loved Atlantis, this wasn't a place she knew well.

He knew what that was like, spending days in unknown territory, depending on people he hardly knew. How many times had he visited Athos now, or joined her on a dangerous mission into places in the Alliance that he had no clue about? He knew what it was like to be so out of your comfort zone that you ended up living with people from another galaxy.

The revelation that she was feeling uncomfortable kind of made him feel better though – this wasn't just a boring side trip for her; it was a big thing for her too. He made an instant promise to himself that he'd make sure she felt at home during her stay, that he'd stay with her as much as he could, and suddenly Carter's suggestion of a reduced workload this week felt easier to accept.

"And this would be Ketra?" Carter asked, everyone's attention shifting John's way again; he should really be paying attention to what was going on. Fortunately, they were all focusing on Ketra, who was now looking back up at them as if she was part of the conversation.

"Ketra," Teyla said down to the dragon as her golden fingers touched against Ketra's head, "these are our new friends."

Ketra looked from Teyla to the leaders and didn't look overly convinced.

"We haven't altered the today's schedule from that we agreed," Carter continued, seeming unconcerned about the big reptile frowning up at her. "But, I thought it would be best to first show you to your quarters and ensure you have all you need for yourselves and Ketra," Carter said, striking a perfection balance between professional and friendly.

"Thank you," Teyla replied with a smile, but her spine was still super straight.

"And we can check through your weapons," Sumner put in.

John had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. It was Sumner's job to do the security thing, especially since there'd been so much negotiation over exactly which weapons the Elite could bring and how many.

"Of course," Teyla agreed instantly.

"If you'd like to come this way," Carter turned, indicating the free space through to the usual exit out of the Gate Room.

Teyla moved forward with Colonel Carter, Ketra following right behind her knees. John fell in behind them, walking by Ketra's side really as they moved between the smiling nodding audience and into the corridor beyond.

It was kind of odd for John to see Ketra walking through Atlantis, not just because she was an alien dinosaur walking the hallways, but she kind of represented the two separate sides of his life that were now fully entwined. It was nice, but it also felt a little weird. Ketra seemed to think it odd as well, as she kept her head low, stalking along right behind Teyla's knees, so close that, if Teyla had to stop suddenly, Ketra would simply collide into the back of Teyla's legs.

Glancing back over his shoulder, John saw that Si was right behind him, walking with General O'Neill. Behind them, Sumner and Ford were next, and John could just about see the red of Cadman's hair behind them.

John looked forward again, though aware of the General talking with Si behind him.

"Weather good on Athos this morning?" O'Neill asked, attempting small talk with the rarely talkative Si. John knew the two had talked several times at the Conference, though he'd not been part of the discussions.

"The rain had stopped," Si supplied.

"Good, good," O'Neill replied. "Rainy season there, right?"

"Yes," Si replied.

"You get full on monsoons there?"

"Occasionally."

There was a beat of silence behind John.

"You know, you remind me of a good friend of mine," O'Neill stated. "Very succinct fellow; you'd like him."

John tuned out of the conversation as Ketra had abruptly stopped and was sniffing at the base of one of the Ancient water-filled columns that Teyla and Carter moved around. John had never really worked out why some of the columns had water in them, and whether it was decorative or was part of the plumbing here.

"Come on, Ketra," John called to her, and she lifted her head obediently and hurried forward again, sliding back into close quarters with the back of Teyla's legs.

Teyla glanced back and down to check on Ketra and then looked at John. He gave her a reassuring smile and she smiled back, so he got the impression that his smile had been helpful.

Carter reached the transporter first and triggered the doors open. John wasn't sure how they were all going to get in, but he moved in close to Teyla, making sure he was the one pushing Ketra gently against the transporter's wall. O'Neill and Si stepped in to join them and the transporter was immediately stuffed full.

"We'll see you in the other tower," Carter called over the men to the others outside.

Then the flash of the transporter filled the tiny room and the doors opened behind Si to reveal the next tower. Ketra had tensed against John's leg when the transporter activated, so he looked down, Teyla doing the same next to him and they both reached to Ketra at the same time.

"It is alright, Ketra," Teyla assured her.

"You'll get used to it," John added as they moved out into the new corridor outside.

The transporter doors shut and a second later a bright flash shone through the muted window panels in the doors and they slid open to reveal a faintly concerned looking Sumner, with Ford and Cadman behind him. Clearly Sumner hadn't liked being a step behind. John had no idea what Sumner thought Teyla and Si would do in the few seconds he wasn't near them.

"Your quarters are up several floors," Carter instructed them. "There are quarters that would be suitable closer to the transporter, but the rooms further up are far nicer and the view is spectacular," Carter dropped into small talk with Teyla again as everyone followed them.

John found himself next to Si this time and he looked up and round at the now very familiar man. "How's the Sythus' repairs coming along?" John asked.

"Good," Si replied.

That was the conversation done then.

"Are you going to join the planned sparring sessions?" Si asked, shocking John for a second. Si, making small talk?

"I might stick my head in," John considered. He had no plans to let Si beat him up again in front of everyone. He'd already been on the receiving end of Si' version of sparring on two major occasions and he wasn't about to do it again by choice.

Si grinned, as if he understood what John was thinking. They were heading up the staircase now, Ketra managing the steps without pause ahead of him and Si.

"Hey, I've proven myself to you enough times," John pointed out to him.

"You need more practice defending yourself in hand-to-hand combat with a Wraith," Si replied.

"I've had far too much experience of that already, thanks," John responded. "Though I enjoyed the Sythus training sessions, and Ford and I shared what we could remember with the others here."

"Good," Si replied, sounding pleased.

"But I know that a lot of the Marines are particularly looking forward to you sharing your 'experience' again," John added.

"Will there be an opportunity to visit the ships Colonel Caldwell and Colonel Ellis command?" Si asked next, chattier than John had ever heard him. John was also kind of impressed at how easily Si had memorised the Colonels' names.

"Maybe," John replied. "I'll mention it to Colonel Carter for you." Maybe the Elite were interested in talking about the Asgard technology already.

Teyla and Carter had reached the level of the quarters, and John followed Ketra out into the corridor, where he caught sight of the two Marines he'd bumped into earlier. One was stood nearby across from the door that led into Si' quarters, and the other was further down the hallway, outside Teyla's quarters.

"These is your quarters, Honoured Elite Si," Carter triggered open the first door. "If it is alright with you, General O'Neill and Lieutenant Ford will show you round and check your weapons."

"Agreed," Si replied and he strode forward confidently into his room, looking around with full intense Elite scrutiny. John saw the usual Elite electronic pad appear out of a pocket, no doubt scanning for any covert listening devices.

"Honoured Elite Emmagan, if you'd like to accompany us on to your quarters," Carter led Teyla on towards her room. "Once you are happy with your room, we have some food and hot drinks waiting for us in my office."

John followed them towards Teyla's door and Carter triggered it open, revealing the empty space John had checked on less than half an hour ago. As he followed the two women and Ketra inside, he moved round so that he could see Teyla's profile. He watched her look around the large room and saw the faint subtle smile cross her features – she liked the quarters.

"This is more than comfortable, thank you," Teyla confirmed with a smile towards Carter.

"The mattress on the floor there is for Ketra," John informed her. "I know it's not ideal for her, but it's the best we have that's comfortable."

Teyla looked away from the view outside the large window ahead of her and smiled at him. "It will be fine for her," she assured him. He felt okay that she was okay about it.

He wondered if she'd seen the blanket on the bed yet.

"Ma'am," Sumner entered into the nice moment, "if we could go through your things and check your weaponry."

That had actually been quite polite from Sumner, but John still felt his back go up.

"Of course," Teyla replied though, seemingly relaxed with the request.

She moved towards the empty space on top of the side unit that Sumner had indicated for her. Teyla set her bags down on the floor, Carter shifting aside to give Sumner space to be the one to check through everything. Teyla opened her coat and carefully and efficiently removed her stunner from her holster and set it down on the unit, then reached up to her shoulder and, with an easy and nonthreatening motion, she withdrew her single sword from its scabbard and laid it next to her stunner. She then set her boot on the nearby end of the bed and pulled out her long narrow knife from inside her boot and laid that on the unit top too.

Sumner picked up the Elite stunner with care, turning it over to make sure there was nothing unusual about it, checked the power reading on the side and then that the sliding button on the barrel was set to the Alliance symbol for 'stun' and not 'kill'. John watched as Sumner then checked over Teyla's sword, knife, and then he peered into her bags. Teyla reached in and pulled out two of the Alliance electronic pads. Sumner took them from her, but there wasn't anything to see to them, and he put them back down on top of her smaller bag.

"Anything else with you, Ma'am?" He asked, again oddly polite for the Colonel.

"My sensor pad," Teyla drew the small scanning device out of coat pocket and she triggered it awake and passed it to Sumner. She looked okay with it all to John's eye, seeming very willing with the Colonel.

Sumner tapped the sensor pad's screen with surprising familiarity, looking at its menu screen and then handed the device back to her. He didn't ask her to empty her pockets any further. He was clearly in a good mood.

"As was agreed," Sumner stated, "these devices are not to be linked to any city computer or terminal without direct and specific permission."

"Agreed," Teyla replied to him as she slipped the sensor pad back into her pocket.

"The stunner is to remain on its stun setting while you are in the city," Sumner added next.

"Of course," Teyla confirmed.

John resisted the urge to object to her interrogation. Teyla knew all this already, she had agreed to it all days ago. To stop himself saying something that would get himself in trouble, John looked round to Ketra, who was sniffing her way around the room. She had to be inhaling dust with her intense nasal inspection of where the floor met the walls.

"No stunner, or any weapon, is to be used against any member of this city, or any of its visitors," Sumner added.

"I understand, Colonel Sumner," Teyla answered. "Both Honoured Elite Si and I are willing to comply with your rules and regulations during our stay here."

"Thank you, Colonel," Carter finally joined back into the conversation, stepping forward and calling an end to the mini interrogation.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Ma'am," Sumner said to Teyla though, and John looked round from Ketra with a surprised frown. Maybe Sumner had been replaced by an evil twin overnight. Or maybe this was the good twin.

"You serve your people well with your vigilance, Colonel," Teyla replied to him.

Sumner nodded and moved away, heading back towards the open doorway, outside of which Cadman was stood with her fellow Marine.

"Thank you for your patience," Carter said to Teyla.

"I am more than happy to comply with your security measures," Teyla replied as she reached for her weapons again, sliding everything back into place.

"I hope the room is adequate," Carter asked, gesturing to the quarters around them.

Teyla turned on the spot, taking in the large room and John smiled at her as her gaze reached him. Her eyes shifted away to the nearby open doorway into his quarters – she'd noticed it and probably guessed where it led. She smiled back to him and then her gaze lowered to where John could hear Ketra still working her snuffling inspection of the edges of the room.

"It is more than adequate, thank you," Teyla turned to Carter.

"Shall we head to my office and have something to drink?" Carter suggested.

"That would be lovely," Teyla smiled back politely. John wished that she could have time to just sit and relax in here first, that they could chat without all the watching military. But, that would have to wait until later, for now there was more polite talk and trade discussions ahead.

But, she was here. After all the weeks of planning by the IOA, too many meetings, and worrying Teyla wasn't going to be back from killing Wraith in time, she was finally here.

In the city and staying in their new adjoining quarters.

0000  
TBC


	10. The Possibilities

**Chapter 10- The Possibilities**

The day was going very well so far.

After showing the Elite their quarters for the next week, Sam had invited them for a quiet informal lunch in her office for 'English tea', as Jack had called it. The chefs had put together a light lunch of sandwiches, shortcake and ginger biscuits and, as was traditionally very Athosian, some tea. Sam had served a light fragrant green tea that John had told her that Elite Emmagan favoured when she stayed in the city, and both the Athosian Elite certainly seemed to enjoy it.

The food had been well received as well, especially the ginger biscuits, which Elite Si had finished off with clear approval, so Sam made a mental note to ask the chefs to include some ginger in the planned meals this week.

Biscuits and tea aside, Sam had been glad with how the informal lunch and light conversation had gone. She'd wanted some time with the Elite without the IOA representatives present, well, except for Jack, but he was Earth Defence's rep rather than the IOA. Plus, Jack, in his usual amenable way, had already appeared to have built a good relationship with both the Elite warriors over the last two weeks at the Conference. With John sat on the other side of the Elite, the office had held a very informal and relaxed atmosphere. Colonel Sumner had insisted he be present, but even Marshall seemed inclined to welcome the Elite. In fact, he'd been very vocal with the IOA in his approval of the new contract with the Alliance.

In the weeks since the Political Wedding, the Elite had been silent on what they were prepared to trade and what they might want in return, with Elite Emmagan citing that the Elite were discussing the matter and that the terms would be delivered on her visit. Sam had therefore scheduled a meeting for initial trade talks as the first order of business after lunch, so that, finally, after weeks of waiting, it was now time to find out what this new relationship with the Elite might deliver for Atlantis and Earth.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Sam had found herself feeling somewhat nervous about the trade meeting. The new contract with Athos and the Elite had already brought a significant improvement in communication and trade with the Alliance, and the IOA were fast putting together a long list of new, and potential, trading partners. But, as important as trade and cultural exchange were, it was the trade with the Elite that would provide the greatest chance of real military and technological advances that would allow the Atlantis expedition to finally fulfil its mandate.

And it would also most likely be the yardstick that the IOA and Earth Defence would use to gauge Sam's success as Commander of Atlantis.

So, no pressure!

However, it became quickly apparent to Sam that the others felt the same sense of nervous anticipation, as the IOA had looked quite tense and formal as Sam had led the Elite into the Conference Room for the meeting.

As everyone took their seats, Sam noticed that the IOA had all sat along one side of the table, with the Elite, John, Rodney, Zelenka and then Sumner along the other side. Sam had selected to sit at the head of the table, suspecting she might have to play the role of a mediator between the two sides. There shouldn't be that division, but her people had sat that way anyway – the IOA versus those who lived and worked in Pegasus.

Sam set her mug of tea and her tablet down on the large conference table and settled her hands on the surface. As she did, she noticed that Emmagan's pet, Ketra, was sat between Emmagan and John's chairs and that the reptile's long neck allowed her to look over the top of the table. Ketra looked like she was going to be part of this meeting, her orange eyes studying each member of the IOA as they all once again exchanged pleasantries with the Elite.

Shifting her gaze from the strangely intelligent looking reptile, Sam exchanged a smile with Emmagan. Last night, Sam had considered long and hard about how best to start this meeting, wondering whether it would be best to make a small speech for the recording of the conversation, for history's sake perhaps. Jack had suggested she simply start with "so whatcha got and what do you want for it?"

However, it appeared that Emmagan was already ahead of her, as the composed woman shifted her gaze away to the rest of the table and started talking.

"As you are all no doubt aware, the Elite do not follow a hierarchy; we have no leaders and decisions are made by all of us by vote," Emmagan began. "I am pleased to report that all of my fellow warriors, bar none, are very pleased with the new contract between ourselves and Atlantis and Earth."

"That's great to hear," Jack responded from across the table.

Emmagan smiled at him. "For me as well, General O'Neill." There had been a subtle sense of a joke in her tone and Jack's smile widened.

Emmagan's smile slid back to seriousness. "We have discussed and voted at length on what we would be prepared to share with Atlantis and what we would like in return. My fellow Elite have tasked myself, and Honoured Elite Si, to present to you our conclusions."

Sam forced herself to relax as the fateful moment approached. Whatever the Elite offered and wanted, presumably there would be some scope for negotiation.

"Firstly," Emmagan continued, and Ketra at her side glancing up at her with interest, "I believe it will go without much debate that we would welcome an open and free exchange of information regarding the ongoing war against the Wraith. And we would welcome the opportunity to combine our forces on particular missions against the Wraith."

It struck Sam how like Torren Elite Emmagan sounded today. Despite her sister Zabetha's apparent station as Torren's assistant and possible replacement, it appeared that Elite Emmagan had inherited many of the same skills from her father.

"Such collaborations would need to be defined," Woolsey replied.

"Of course," Emmagan inclined her head. "We are not seeking to set definitions on such assistance, as the Elite believe that flexibility is vital in warfare. Essentially, we are looking for allies in particular battles, not to tie each other to set programmes of war. By working together on particular missions as they arise, we can increase our success against the Wraith; which will benefit both our peoples," Emmagan slid her dark gaze to Sam.

"However, as part of our trade, we would request that Atlantis begin to put pressure on the Wraith," Emmagan continued, "that you push out from your space towards the Alliance border. If you hold an increasing line of defence against them, we plan to squeeze the Wraith in between our two territories."

"Territories?" Shen asked, "as in you want us to establish our own area of space like the Alliance?"

Sam couldn't see that happening.

"Yes," Elite Emmagan replied simply though.

"With all due respect ma'am," Faxon smiled politely as he leant his suited elbows on the shiny tabletop, "but my understanding is that the Alliance is able to hold its vast territory with its Military Fleet. I'm afraid we do not have enough ships to do the same."

"This expedition did not come to the Pegasus galaxy," Shen added slightly hotly, "to build ourselves an empire."

"We are not suggesting that you do," Elite Si entered the discussion.

"The Elite recommend that you forge a 'zone of protection' around local systems," Emmagan supplied. "By monitoring the local systems to you, Atlantis can respond to Wraith incursions and help protect other planets from culling. It will allow you to assist in reducing the territory the Wraith currently hold so freely and help save many lives."

"Such an undertaking would involve a large amount of resources," Woolsey put in with the worried frown of a bureaucrat, but his point was valid enough. The resources and time it would take...

"To defeat the Wraith, extra resources are going to be necessary," Emmagan replied.

Sam tried to think though the logistics of it all - if they had both the Daedalus and the Apollo in Pegasus permanently then maybe they could respond to incursions...

"As we understand matters, Atlantis already tracks Wraith Hives across this part of the galaxy," Emmagan continued, "and responds to requests for help from peoples undergoing a culling?"

"We try to help if we can," Sam nodded.

Emmagan glanced to the IOA representatives and then round to John on her left. "If we are truly to defeat the Wraith, and save countless thousands from them, you will need to start to fight back more effectively."

"I agree," Sam replied, drawing the woman's attention back to her, "but if we start actively building a 'zone of protection', we are going to draw the Wraith's attention back on us."

"And you will have the support of the Alliance if they do," Emmagan replied.

"You're going to bring your entire Fleet across the galaxy to help us?" Sumner asked doubtfully from further down the table.

"We can send support via Portal," Si replied. "We have methods of attacking the Wraith that do not involve battleships."

"What methods?" Sumner asked.

"Not unlike the Ancestor ships," Emmagan replied, "we have fighters that can move through an open Portal and engage the Wraith in orbit."

"Gate ships?" McKay asked with clear eager anticipation. "Could we get some of those in the trade?"

Sam held up a hand to McKay, silently asking him to restrain himself, not that it'd probably work.

"The Alliance hold its border not only by the use of the Fleet, but by the use of sentry sensor platforms that continuously scan local space and relay information back to monitoring stations," Emmagan turned her head to look down the table towards McKay. "We are not in a position to trade Portal fighters, but we are prepared to share with you the technology of our sentry sensor platforms."

That caught some attention around the table

"You're going to give us sensor satellites?" McKay asked.

"We will share our technological approaches to assist you in designing and building your own systems," Emmagan corrected. "The sentry platforms utilise various sensor systems, many of which are specifically attuned to detecting the Wraith, which you could also add to your battleships as well as the sensor platforms."

"That sounds very promising, Elite Emmagan," Sam replied as she glanced across the table to Jack. This was more like it.

"In turn, we are also interested in learning about your use of energy shielding for your battleships," Emmagan continued. "You have already informed us that certain technologies on your main ships are not to be traded, but we understand that you have access to other types of shield generators, including those here in Atlantis. We would like to trade for a shield generator from your galaxy or to be allowed to study the Ancestor shielding deployed here in Atlantis."

"You guys don't have forcefields?" John asked, his first comments in the meeting. Sam had noticed he had literally kept one hand against his mouth as he had listened, as if holding himself back from saying anything.

Emmagan turned to look at him. "We do, but we would like to study more effective shielding, as we have been unable to create a protective stable energy shield held out beyond a ship's hull."

Sam had already talked with the IOA about the possibility of sharing some Goa'uld tech with the Elite. Maybe they could trade a Goa'uld shield generator.

"We would, of course, agree to share anything we discover with you," Emmagan added.

"I'm sure we can take the suggestion to our people back home," Sam replied carefully. Personally, she would love the opportunity to work with Elite scientists to try and create a working shield generator that wasn't simply an adapted piece of alien tech.

"We would also," Emmagan continued, clearly on a roll, "look to trade with you for your retrovirus technology." This was the main item that Sam had been certain would be on the Elite's list.

"As you know, the retrovirus isn't yet useable," Sam replied.

Emmagan nodded. "And we believe that we can assist you in its further development."

Sam nodded, pleased. "We would need to insist that the work is done in Atlantis. Your experts would be welcome to come here to work on the project together."

Emmagan glanced at Si, the two silently agreeing. "That should be agreeable," Emmagan concluded. "Once the retrovirus is viable, we would expect to have complete access to it."

"If we can get the retrovirus to work," Sam replied, "it will be important that we proceed carefully in how we deploy the viral weapon. If we show our hand too soon, the Wraith may have time to counteract the effects, and working out how to deploy it effectively could take time. I suggest that we look to work together not just on developing the retrovirus but also how we can use it effectively on the Wraith."

"We could create a joint taskforce devoted to the development and also the deployment of the technology," Emmagan suggested, seemingly to Si as much as to the rest of the table.

Si nodded. "The others would likely agree, but we would need assurances that the Elite would have free access to the retrovirus once deployment methods and a plan of attack are decided upon."

"I am sure that we can come to a clear agreement on the subject," Sam answered, glancing to the IOA, seeing Jack glance back at her. She could tell instantly from his expression that he agreed. If they could get the retrovirus working and have the Alliance's help in working out how to deploy it, it would be more than worth the deal. If the retrovirus worked, it could solve all their problems with the Wraith.

"So," Sumner put in from the far end of the table, "you want access to Ancient forcefields, or alien equivalents from our galaxy, the retrovirus, our help in fighting the Wraith, and for us to risk pushing back the Wraith and creating our whole large protection zone. That's a lot that you want from us; what do we get in return?"

Sam internally winced at the blunt question.

"As already stated," Emmagan replied calmly, Ketra swinging her head from Emmagan to Sumner and back, "we will share our sensor platform technology, which will allow you to monitor Wraith activity successfully."

"We already have the Ancient scanners here for that," Sumner put in. That wasn't quite accurate; the Ancient long-range scanners could detect Hives, but not Wraith arriving on a planet through a Stargate and limited to a planet's orbit.

"You will have our assistance in developing your retrovirus into an effective weapon," Emmagan continued, "for which you will no doubt require fresh Wraith tissue samples?" Emmagan's attention returned to Sam.

"Yes," Sam confirmed.

"Then we will be able to provide that for you," Emmagan replied, "at our own risk. We will also be able to capture live Wraith for you once the retrovirus is ready for proper testing."

That was no small thing. Getting hold of Wraith samples fresh enough for Carson's research had already been a sticking point. When Iketani had captured Carson, the retrovirus research had jumped forward significantly by her technology but also because the woman had had captive Wraith from which she had taken fresh cell samples for Carson's work. If the Elite were able to provide that side of things, it would take away a hell of a lot of risk for Atlantis.

"However," Emmagan continued again, "in return for your active assistance in reducing Wraith territory and assisting us with certain missions, we are prepared to trade our energy weapons technology."

A shocked pause fell over the table.

"What?! Really?" McKay exclaimed with excited delight.

Sam saw Emmagan smile just faintly. "You will be able to create and maintain your own energy weapons, of any scale," she continued. "We will show you how the technology works and how you can adapt it for use on your battleships or even on sentry satellites."

Sam's heart beat loudly with desperate relief.

"We would also," Si continued now, "provide you with our defuser technology, which enables wearers to be immune to Wraith stunners."

"We are also be more than willing to share our skills in fighting the Wraith in close quarters should your projectile weapons fail you," Emmagan added, the two Elite tag teaming the sales pitch. "In addition, if you require Elite warriors to assist you on your own missions, or simply require our advice, we will be available to you."

It was more than Sam had hoped for and would possibly fulfil the expedition's mandate in one foul swoop. She looked across the table to the IOA, looking at each in turn, trying to gauge whether they were pleased. Most of them were too good at hiding what they were thinking, but Faxon sent her a happy smile and Woolsey was feverishly scribbling down some notes on a legal pad.

The sticking point would be the 'zone of protection', but what Atlantis would get in return...

"No doubt you will need to discuss our offer at length," Emmagan continued. "The Elite do not expect an immediate response, but, once an agreement has been reached, we will be ready immediately to begin the trade."

"Thank you, Honoured Elite," Sam replied. "I believe I can speak for all of us in saying that the Elite have been very generous in their offer and we will indeed discuss this further and present the Elite's offer to our people back home."

Si and Emmagan both nodded solemnly.

"If you would like, there is time now for you to join some very eager Marines in the gym who are waiting for their first training session with you," Sam suggested to the two warriors. Elite Si smiled at the suggestion.

"We would welcome it," Emmagan replied with a nod.

Sam briefly tapped on her radio earpiece. "Major Lorne," she voiced into the small microphone and immediately the large floor-to-ceiling doors to the Conference Room began to swivel open behind her. "Major Lorne will show you to the gym."

Everyone around the table stood up as the Elite rose. Sam watched as John uttered something quietly to Emmagan before she moved away from the table, the two appearing to be handling their new 'marriage' situation well.

Sam had decided not to question what that marriage might involve, as it was best not to know.

The Elite exchanged polite nods with the IOA as they headed out of the room, Ketra following along behind them, to where Lorne was waiting for them with a large smile.

Sam settled back into her seat and waited as the doors to the Conference Room once again swung closed.

"Well, that went well," General O'Neill summarised happily as the doors shut.

"If they really are going to give us their energy weapon technology," Rodney began excitedly, "it could change _everything_."

"Do you not already have Asgard energy weapons?" Professor Morgan asked.

"Only on the Daedalus and Apollo, and we haven't quite worked out how to build our own versions yet," Sam supplied.

"I thought there had been some advances in the Goa'uld technology now that the Jaffa are trading with Earth," Shen asked.

"The Jaffa didn't make the Goa'uld tech," Rodney scoffed, "and their energy weapons have nowhere near the precision or efficiency of what the Alliance and Elite use. If we can start making our own stunners, have our own beam weapons-"

"Yeah, we all get it Rodney," John warned, but Sam could see the same excited hope in John's eyes.

"Stunners and help with the retrovirus are, of course, extremely useful," Ms Shen put in, "but in return we will be agreeing to this 'zone of protection'. I cannot see how we have the resources or the willingness to start taking on the custodianship of large numbers of other planets."

"We also have to consider the Wraith's response to all this," Professor Morgan repeated Sam's earlier point. "Right now, as I understand the current events, we're not a major target for the Wraith. If we start running joint operations with the Elite and establishing our own territory in this galaxy, the Wraith will see us as a dangerous enemy."

"They already see us that way," John pointed out.

"This city survived the last Wraith attack by cunning rather than weapons," Professor Morgan replied calmly. "If they discover that Atlantis still exists, if they do not already know, what will stop them from returning here?"

"We've got both the Daedalus and the Apollo, and the Alliance have agreed to help us through the Gate and with ships," John replied. "And if we get our own energy weapons, plus Atlantis' shield and drones, we can fight back."

"We won't always have both the Daedalus and the Apollo," Sam noted.

"Aren't they building more Daedalus class ships?" John asked.

"Yes, we are," Jack replied. "But, stationing two of them in Pegasus all the time could be an issue."

"With our new trade deals with various Alliance worlds," Woolsey considered from Jack's right, "we should be able to have more than enough food for the ships for longer stays."

"Running and maintaining spaceships is more than just having enough food," Sam told him. "There are repairs, decontamination procedures, and air supply issues. Plus the personnel assigned to them do not sign up to permanently remain in another galaxy and we have no idea of the long term affects of living and working on spaceships."

"So one ship goes back to Earth as another heads here," John suggested, "the second ships tag team each other. Or we could change personnel through the Gate?"

That was possible.

"Keeping two ships here would also reduce the protection for Earth," Jack added. "Earth Defence won't be happy about that."

"Or we just start building here," McKay put in, all eyes turning to him. "We can set up an Alpha Site in Pegasus and start building ships and manufacturing our new sensor satellites and stunners here in this galaxy."

John nodded along with Rodney. "Do we even need to build new ships as big as Daedalus?"

"If we start building a new colony for such manufacturing in this galaxy," Faxon cut into the excited talk, "then that will require even more resources."

"Not if we use Pegasus based materials," Sam considered. "That would greatly reduce the cost for Earth."

"Our new trade deals could provide us with a lot," John added in.

"A few components would need to be brought in through the Gate, like Naquadah." She looked to Jack.

"We're talking about setting up a huge operation here," Jack said. Sam could see the caution in his eyes, the calculation of what Earth Defence would say.

"But it would save money," Sam replied. "We've got our new trading partners here."

"We'd need to find metal ores," Zelenka entered the conversation. "We'd need to start with basics, like smelting the metals, forging."

"Or we trade for it," John replied. "Sheet metals from the Alliance."

"And become reliant on them?" Sumner noted.

Sam turned her mind around the idea. It would be a significant increase in production and investment in Pegasus, but anything built could be taken back home if needed.

"Doing so would be committing a lot this galaxy," Professor Morgan put in, and echoing Sam's thoughts. "Are we all, and those back home, ready to fully commit to staying here long term?"

"We're here now," John argued back quickly, "and the Wraith aren't going away. If we work with the Elite to help finally defeat them, then it'll be worth it."

"What about the mainland?" Sumner asked from down the table. "Maybe there's resources there we can use?"

"The results of some initial geological tests suggests there are some potentially useful mineral deposits; we'd need to do further research," Zelenka replied. "We could use the mainland for ship building as well, rather than using an Alpha Site."

"Even if we use materials found in Pegasus and obtain much by trade, we are still talking about assigning significantly more personnel here," Shen pointed out.

"The more people are involved in the work here," Professor Morgan added, "the greater the chances grow that there will one day be a leak of the existence of the Stargate programme and the extent of our new reach."

"That'll happen eventually anyway," Rodney dismissed the significant point. "The secret has already leaked out before and, even if it does, that won't stop the Wraith from eventually finding a way to Earth."

"Maintaining a base in Atlantis is one thing, setting up an empire is quite another," Shen argued.

"We're not talking about an empire," John answered her. "We're talking about making a stronghold, keeping these sentry sensor platforms and going in to deal with any Wraith targeting a planet nearby. We pretty much do that anyway."

Sam had to agree with that.

"And if we get the sensor satellites working," John continued passionately, "that's technology we can use back home, watching over Earth. And we know the Elite and Alliance have more we could one day trade for; all of that helps us here and back home."

"I'm not saying we should turn down the offer," Shen replied, "I am simply stating that we may not be able to do what the Elite want us to do."

"But," Woolsey piped up, "it may be well worth trying. Major Sheppard may be right, we could become more akin to 'wardens' of the local area of this galaxy, keeping a watch that the Wraith do not get too close. If we are able to have possibly two ships in orbit, we will have the ability to respond and call in assistance from the Elite if needed. We just have to negotiate with the Elite so that they understand and accept our interpretation of the term 'zone of protection'."

"I agree with Dick," Jack nodded, and Sam had to work to keep a straight face. "Ultimately, the space guns and help developing the retrovirus will be worth negotiating the extent of this 'zone of protection'." In typical Jack form, he'd made speech marks with his fingers as he'd said 'zone of protection'.

"If we can deal with the Wraith for good with a workable retrovirus," Sumner added, "then we can always pull out of Pegasus at a later date. Until that time, we need this deal and their energy weapons."

Sam hadn't missed John's alarmed frown at the Colonel's suggestion of pulling out of Pegasus in the future.

For now though, debating the issues around the table could take all day, and ultimately they weren't going to be the ones to make the final decisions.

"I think we can all agree that, _in principle_ ," Sam said to everyone around the table, "the Elite are offering us some very favourable terms. There's a lot that we need to refine and discuss further with them regarding the 'zone of protection', what that actually involves, how much of the local area will they expect us to hold, and many other questions. But, I think we have plenty to start with for our reports back home."

Sam consulted her watch. "Our scheduled dial-out to Midway is at 16:00 today, so if you could all have your reports, and any other files you want transmitted back home, in the usual place on the city server by 15:30."

All heads nodded around the table.

"I will be in my office for most of the afternoon if anyone wants to discuss things through, and we have the welcome dinner for the Elite this evening," Sam looked around the table. "I will see you all then."

The meeting broke up quickly, people rising up from their seats and chattering away as they headed out of the room. Sam took her time though, tapping on her tablet to stop the audio recording and saving it securely. She let out a heavy sigh of relief as she stood up, collecting up her tablet and her forgotten mug.

As she turned towards the sideways angled doors out of the Conference Room, she saw that Jack was waiting for her, a smile across his handsome face.

"That went well," she repeated his earlier assessment as she joined him in one of the doorways.

"Any meeting is good if it includes the phrase 'we want to give you stunner technology'," Jack replied.

She chuckled.

"Unless they're about to use said stunner technology on you," Jack considered.

"I still think the most surprising part of the meeting was you agreeing with Woolsey," she teased as she led the way out.

"Don't remind me," Jack muttered as he followed.

00000

He'd pushed himself a bit too far this afternoon. A dull ache of a strained shoulder muscle quietly complained as Oneakka leant into the warm rush of the gym's shower.

He knew when he'd done it; he'd overextended as he'd blocked a downward attack from Massa.

Sparring with his fellow Elite was always challenging, and today things had gotten to a powerful intensity with six of them all sparring as a mass group. He'd organised it, pushed for the weapons practice and the six-way sparring. It had been good and had lasted almost two hours. Everyone had been panting and exhausted by the end, simulating battle as much as was possible outside of the Generator.

The best part had been that Halling had kept up, not showing any obvious signs of physical weakness. Oneakka had been worried that his friend had been neglecting his training during the long weeks on the Sythus, but Halling had clearly been keeping up his training and that helped calm some of the worried nervousness inside Oneakka's chest.

The others had left the gym an hour ago, heading off to their own duties, but Oneakka had moved into the Generator to train further. He'd programmed some basic combat against three simulated Wraith. It hadn't been as difficult as the sparring, but it had strained the shoulder muscle further and his ribs were complaining again.

He had to be more careful. Injury in training was just as limiting as injury in battle. He had to make sure not to push himself too much in his desire to be ready for whatever it was that was out there waiting to kill Halling. He couldn't allow any weakness that would stop him from saving his friend.

The shower's pounding water was good and hot and he angled his body to focus the pressure of the water on the complaining area of his back. He rolled his shoulder under the relieving onslaught of water, testing and stretching the muscle fibres, the ache started to ease somewhat.

His hands pressed against the bright tiles behind the streaming water, he closed his eyes and just stood under the torrent of shower. He focused his attention on his breathing, working on calming the storm inside that was far harder to tame than any strained muscles.

There were no new clues on what ancient enemy was preparing to strike, with only the update due on the Amduat situation the closest to any real leads. And Amduat's silence was probably due to some stellar phenomena – it usually was with that out of the way station. Unless, the new enemy had chosen to strike from there first.

Maybe the day was now fast approaching.

Or it was still months away and all Oneakka could do was wait. Watch, prepare, and wait.

He wasn't overly good at the waiting part, not when Halling's life depended on it. Not when these worried anxieties pulled at old weaknesses.

He reached out and shut off the shower, the last drips of water falling onto his upper back. Alone in the shower room, he simply held still and rested his weight against the wall through his hands.

Years of experience and training told him what to do. He kept breathing slowly; focusing his attention on his well learnt and used techniques to calm his body from emotional and physical stresses.

He breathed in the cooling air and pictured the grass of the Ugun field under his feet, imagined the old remembered sound the summer wind had made through the tall grasses around the open space. From the first days that he'd been taught this technique as a young Recruit, he had built the imagery, adding a myriad of sensory details to fully embody the experience. He recalled the playful singing of the other children playing around the edges of the field, the laughter and grunts of the older children practicing their wrestling and fighting moves, and the sweet fragrance of the wild flowers in bloom.

After all these years, he couldn't really tell what were actual memories from his early childhood on Ugun, but the patchwork of recollections, recorded pictures of his planet, and from his own dreams, he recreated his home village in his mind. He imagined the feel of the soil of Ugun under his bare feet, imagined drawing up strength and determination from it. It gave him the centre he needed, the purpose and drive to act to make sure that he honoured his people and made sure their fate never happened to anyone else.

He snapped open his eyes, feeling better; the swirling anxiety drifting away on the remembered Ugun breeze.

He turned from the dripping shower and padded across the empty shower room. A concealed cupboard door opened to a selection of large fluffy towels and he pulled one out. As he started drying himself down, he heard the door in the attached men's changing room open and two Recruits enter, chattering back and forth about their progress in weight training.

Oneakka ignored the noise as he wrapped the towel around his waist and headed into the changing room. The Recruits were heading into the shower and both bobbed their heads respectfully as he passed by them. As was usual with the Recruits, they avoided his eye contact, but he saw their eyes clock his usually hidden tattoos across his ribs and the large Ugun marking on his upper chest. He remembered his days of being a Recruit and how all had attempted to count markings on their favoured Elite warriors, seeking to see for themselves how many Wraith Queens each had vanquished. Now, older and wiser, Oneakka didn't care how many he had, but he knew each marking gave the Recruits more faith in their own future abilities.

Back in the changing room, alone once more, Oneakka set about dressing. Quickly checking the time displayed up on the wall, he realised he was close to being late to meet Seeal and Madesh in the weapons gym for their evening training session.

Pulling on a long sleeved top, he felt a flush of relief in not having to wear body armour for the rest of the evening. As used to it as he was, after such a long sparring session, he wanted nothing more than to wear something soft and comfortable.

Fully dressed, and his calm control back in place, he picked up his aforementioned armour and headed out of the changing room. It was far cooler in the corridor outside, but that was probably helpful to ease the overworked shoulder.

He paused by a computer terminal and checked the latest status reports. The Military Council had authorised pushing out the border near the former Nest System and there still wasn't an update on Amduat. Oneakka considered messaging Edfu again, but the Joint Security Lead had promised to report anything new directly to him as soon as it arrived.

Continuing on, Oneakka took several turns until he approached the closed doors of the weapons training gym up ahead. Two small windows in the doors did not show Seeal and Madesh inside, but Oneakka could hear them.

As he pushed open the doors, he was unsurprised to see that there was no one else in this smaller gym. Most of the Recruits knew he used this block of an hour to train in here, and they probably knew Seeal was in here too. Since her 'incident' with the Recruits, they tended to avoid her; so, with both him and Seeal scheduled to use the gym at the same time, it was little surprise that no Recruits wanted to share the space.

Madesh and Seeal looked comfortable enough in here though, the two stood to one side by their bags, both deep in loud conversation and laughter. As he entered, they both turned, and the atmosphere shifted immediately. Madesh's grin shifted quickly into polite attentiveness and Seeal's laugh became just a smile.

Oneakka was more than used to people becoming more subdued when he entered a room, it could often be a useful reaction, but he kind of didn't like that Seeal and Madesh reacted that way to his arrival.

Ignoring that reaction though, he headed towards the closest space along the wall and set his armour down.

"Honoured Elite," Madesh approached and practically bowed.

"Madesh. How is the Sythus?" Oneakka asked as he hadn't seen the man since before the mission to Sol.

"All is well, Honoured Elite. The repairs seem slow, but are on schedule," Madesh replied, ever polite and eager always to please. "It is good to see you back from your mission's victory."

Oneakka toyed with the idea of asking Madesh for further details about the Satedan music festival, just to tease Seeal, but he decided not to.

Seeal approached him and Madesh, a bottle of water in her hand. She was dressed all in black today. He'd noticed the considerable change in her clothing of late. He gathered from pieces of conversation between her and Madesh that the two of them had been visiting some trading stations and markets in their free time, and maybe with her new social group from the Sythus in tow as well. Clearly her new life was already having an impact on her, showing not just in her new wardrobe additions, but also in the new routine relaxation to her shoulders, the increasing flush of health to her cheeks, and a pleasing extra amount of muscle and strength to her body. He'd made sure to push her in her training to make sure she was as strong as she could be, because soon enough he would be leaving on the Sythus once it was repaired. He wanted both her and Madesh as expertly trained as possible and as fit and ready as they could be for whatever ancient enemy was apparently returning.

"Have you been keeping to the training schedule?" He asked them both, knowing already that Seeal had confessed to not quite keeping up with the assigned programme.

"Yes," Madesh replied, but his eyes slid to Seeal. "Mostly."

Seeal glared at Madesh as she lifted her water bottle to her lips. "We did the cardio, weights, katas, and some of the weapons," she reported before swallowing some water.

Along with the new range of tops and jackets, she'd started wearing brighter colours and tops with slightly lower necklines – nothing too revealing, but it was new for her. Today's top was black, but there was red detailing along the seams, it was sleeveless, and had a neckline that stopped just below her collarbones. He was certain he hadn't seen this particular top before, so it was another new addition to her collection.

"Good," he decided to accept their report on face value. "We'll start with a warm up and then you can go through the knife and sword katas."

He smiled openly at Seeal's wince at his mention of the sword katas. She hated training with some of the swords, but that didn't stop him from ensuring she could use them all.

The doors to the gym opened to Oneakka's right and Edfu entered.

Oneakka's more relaxed mood shifted quickly into alert concern. Did this mean there was an update on Amduat?

"Honoured Elite," Edfu smiled and bowed as Oneakka turned towards him. Edfu seemed relaxed enough to Oneakka's eyes. "Seeal. Madesh," Edfu smiled to the other two as they moved away, starting up their stretching before their warm up.

"You have an update?" Oneakka asked.

"Yes, Honoured Elite," Edfu confirmed, only for his overly bright smile to flow back towards Madesh and Seeal. "I am sorry to interrupt your training," he smiled again, all polite and friendly towards them. Or, perhaps, mostly towards Seeal.

"We've barely started," Seeal supplied unhelpfully from where she was stretching out one of her arms and Madesh was touching his toes next to her.

"I timed it well then," Edfu grinned at her with his unnaturally white teeth.

"What have you got?" Oneakka demanded, fed up with the pleasantries.

"I have an update from Station 1641," Edfu reported. The next station on from Amduat that was investigating the silence.

Good, finally. But was it going to be the worst kind of news?

Edfu's attention slid away from Oneakka again, back towards Seeal and Madesh.

Oneakka glanced at them to see that Seeal was rolling up from an extreme forward bend where her head could practically touch the floor between her outstretched legs. As she curled her upper body up, facing towards Edfu, the former sedate neckline of her top now showed more than she knew, or perhaps cared about. Oneakka made sure never to look below her collarbones in such circumstances, but clearly Edfu didn't have that polite restriction.

Oneakka started towards him. "Let's talk about this outside," he ordered.

"Yes, of course, Honoured Elite," Edfu agreed and turned to leave. "Good to see you both, Seeal. Madesh," he added to them.

Oneakka kept walking directly towards the door and Edfu in front of it, forcing the other man to leave the gym faster or get crushed.

Edfu successfully out of the room, Oneakka paused in the doorway and looked back to Seeal and Madesh. "Start warming up - laps around the gym until I get back," he instructed, and then headed out into the corridor outside.

In the slightly darker space of the corridor, Oneakka saw Halling approaching towards him and Edfu, presumably called in by Edfu to hear the update on Amduat.

As they waited the few seconds for Halling to reach them, Oneakka moved around Edfu to stand centrally in the corridor, facing the closed doors to the weapons gym. That put Edfu's back to the windows into the gym and ensured he wasn't going to get distracted again by any possible views of Seeal.

"What's the update?" Oneakka asked as Halling reached his side.

"Station 1641's sensor scout bot reached the midway point between the stations, but its own transmissions have become filled with static," Edfu reported.

"Interference?" Halling asked.

"Yes," Edfu replied, all professional now he wasn't distracted; he should know better in his position. "It is a difficult region for clear transmissions, as you know, but there appears to be some new interference limiting the bot's scans beyond the midpoint."

"Can it go further out and still maintain contact with Station 1641?" Oneakka asked.

Through the windows behind Edfu, Oneakka spotted Madesh appear in view, jogging along the far wall of the gym, as instructed. Seeal wasn't with him, but then she might have started the run behind him.

"Yes, so the bot has been sent further out towards Amduat as far as possible before it loses contact with Station 1641. The closest patrol ship is still days away," Edfu added.

"Are they running analysis on the new interference detected?" Halling asked.

"Yes," Edfu replied.

Madesh came back into view, running past the gym's windows, having run a half lap of the relatively small gym. Seeal still wasn't in view.

"They suspect it is some new radiation emission from the nearby supernova, as most of the new readings and the previous intermittent interference from Amduat of late has been due to its flares and radiation ejections."

Oneakka nodded. It was the most probable explanation for the interference and for Amduat's ongoing silence. Still...

"There is nothing else that can be done at present," Edfu uttered. "Station 1641 will report in again on an hourly basis, unless the bot detects something sooner."

Oneakka nodded.

Madesh ran through the view, once again on the far side of the gym, but Oneakka saw that he was gesturing off to the right, no doubt to Seeal; probably attempting to persuade her to actually join in the warm up run that Oneakka had instructed.

"As soon as any report comes in, I will alert you both immediately," Edfu promised.

"Anything new from the new border advance?" Oneakka asked.

"The Fleet Commanders are discussing tactics as we speak, though the meeting was paused several times due to ongoing strike and run attempts by the Cruisers along the local border. Honoured Elite Seifer is heading the Elite involvement at the meeting and will report in once decisions are made," Edfu supplied.

"Good," Oneakka concluded.

"Thank you, Edfu," Halling added.

Edfu nodded and moved to leave. Oneakka held still as the Security Lead moved around him, watching to see if Edfu was going to look back into the gym. The man kept his eyes forward though and moved around Oneakka's shoulder and his steps echoed away down the hallway.

Madesh jogged past the windows again.

Halling stepped into Oneakka's view, partly blocking the gym's windows.

"It is most likely the supernova," Halling stated.

"Most likely," Oneakka nodded as he shifted his stance so that he could once again see through the windows behind Halling.

"We shall simply have to wait to hear from station 1641," Halling concluded.

Oneakka nodded again, aware that both of them were saying one thing but worriedly thinking another. But there really was nothing else they could do right now.

Frustration reared out loud and angry in Oneakka's middle, threatening his recently regained calm.

"I started some historical research into the little we have on Amduat's region," Halling reported.

"I'm guessing you didn't find much," Oneakka predicted. There was hardly anything in that part of the galaxy as it was literally where the stars ran out and the void outside the galaxy began – it was so boring that even the Wraith didn't bother with it. Which would make it a perfect place from which to attack. But then Amduat's sensor capability was designed to prevent that very situation, with its sensors able to pick up anything approaching from a vast distance away. It could even detect hyperspace windows before they opened.

If Amduat had detected anything unusual or worrying, they would have been able to report it. The sudden silence implied something other than an attack, but Oneakka wouldn't rule anything out until he had some facts.

Behind Halling's shoulder, Oneakka finally saw Seeal appear into his limited view of the gym. She was not running laps though; instead, she was stood in the middle of the gym, talking towards Madesh running around the room. As she turned, Oneakka saw the dark cable of earphones hanging from her ears which were connected into the portable music device that had fast become her constant companion.

Her new obsession with music had started after the Nest System's victory celebration, and any time he'd spoken with her in the following days, there had been music playing from the tiny speakers of her tablet computer. So, he'd found her a portable music device instead – which he had ensured didn't have anything on it that she might use to hack into anything – and some earphones to save everyone else from her new fixation. She'd had the music device with her nearly always since. If it wasn't attached to her, it was in a pocket of her jacket or connected to her tablet.

"Massa has invited us to late meal with him and Aki," Halling stated.

"He said he would invite you," Oneakka replied, but his attention was split between Halling and Seeal.

She had started moving on the spot, swaying one way and then the other. One shoulder lifted and then the other, starting a clear rhythm, which presumably was in time to the music playing in her ears. In fact, her mouth was moving as she turned, facing Madesh as he ran around the gym, most likely singing along with the lyrics to what she was listening to.

"Are you free?" Halling asked.

Oneakka shifted his gaze onto his friend. "I planned to bring those two to late meal," Oneakka nodded his chin towards the windows. He often sat with the two for a meal after training. He wasn't overly certain why he'd starting doing that. Maybe it was because he had gotten used to Madesh being around this last year, and he usually shared at least one meal a day now with Seeal while they worked on the database research.

The dance moves inside the gym had become bigger, her head moving, her body twisting and her hips swaying. She was pointing her fingers at Madesh as he ran, moving her arms in time with her music and lyrics.

Madesh had slowed his running as he passed the windows, and Oneakka thought he saw the man's shoulders moving with laughter.

"They can join us," Halling said.

"Okay," Oneakka agreed.

She started moving across the gym floor, tapping her toes to the floor one way and then another.

He'd not seen her dance since the victory celebration, and her willingness to throw herself physically into dancing had surprised him back then. He'd thought she would have been more reserved and self-conscious. She clearly wasn't feeling self-conscious in the gym as she swung her hips quickly one way and then the other, demonstrating that crazy flexibility she had in being able to move her upper body separately from her hips. In training she often used backflips, tumbles, and unusual leaping twisting movements. He'd watched her bend her body entirely backwards, flexing her spine in a way he could only ever dream of being able to replicate.

Madesh ran into view on the far side and Oneakka could see he was grinning as he ran.

The two really had forged a friendship.

Oneakka felt something strange shift in his chest. He frowned at the sensation, unable to identify it.

Halling, realising something was going on behind him, turned and looked into the gym. "What is she doing?"

"Dancing," Oneakka supplied the obvious. "As a warm up," he explained further.

Her backward sliding steps moved her out of view.

Halling looked back round. "They appear to have formed a strong connection."

Oneakka shifted his gaze back to Halling, drawn by something pointed in his friend's tone and expression. "They have a lot in common," he agreed.

Halling nodded, but there was a faint frown tightening his forehead.

Oneakka focused his entire attention back on his friend. "Edfu will keep us informed on Amduat," he reassured Halling. "It is most likely radiation from the supernova."

Halling nodded, but did not look overly convinced. Oneakka wasn't either.

"I will see you shortly at late meal," Halling stated with a nod, but Oneakka saw a wealth of tiredness in his friend; though, that might be due to the two hour sparring session earlier.

"I'll see you later," Oneakka agreed.

Halling nodded, but glanced back towards the gym's windows with a frown as he moved away.

Oneakka wasn't sure what that was, but then everything Halling did now made him worry.

He was getting too sensitive about things.

He would save Halling. He had to.

Alone in the corridor now, Oneakka looked back to the gym's windows.

Seeal was back in view, swinging her body in time to her music. The beat was so obvious by the way she moved that he could almost hear it in his own head.

Raven was flying free, and so much faster than he'd expected of her. She had a social group, new clothing, new confidence to dance freely, and an especially good friend in Madesh.

He really hadn't expected her to adapt to life here so well or so quickly, but then she had a way of always surprising him, at every turn.

Madesh appeared in the centre of the gym, walking towards Seeal now. He was still smiling, saying something to Seeal. He looked well warmed up from his run, and Seeal had certainly warmed her body with her dancing. Once again, they looked relaxed and happy without him in there with them.

The feeling in his chest stirred again.

He shook his head. He'd made a promise to himself not to dwell on the situation with Seeal. The Sythus would be repaired soon enough and he would be heading off from the Facility. She would do fine here by herself.

Flying free.

Without him.

He strode towards the doors, crushing the distracting thoughts as he pushed back into the gym.

Madesh and Seeal both looked round towards him, Madesh's smile shifting quickly from relaxed to polite and attentive again, while Seeal looked faintly embarrassed.

"It was a warm up," she explained.

"Let's start with the weapons work," he decided, getting things back to training. He turned to Madesh. "Which weapons didn't you get to?" He asked, knowing Madesh would give an honest answer. Seeal was already making complaining noises as she headed back to her bag to put the music device away.

"We didn't have enough time to cover all the swords," Madesh replied, the words carefully chosen. They really were developing a close friendship if Madesh was looking to try and not answer something directly.

"Which ones _precisely_?" Oneakka asked, fixing his gaze on the man.

Madesh lowered his eyes a fraction – he'd understood the look. "We didn't manage to train with the wide twin-edged Litan sword or the standard broadsword."

That made sense. Oneakka looked towards Seeal as she returned to the centre of the gym. "Let's start with the broadsword," he stated with a knowing smile.

Seeal pulled an instant face of protest. Her cheeks were still slightly flushed from her 'warm up'. "Why the broadsword?" She objected. "It's far too heavy for me." It wasn't the first time she'd made the point.

"All the better to build your strength by learning to use it," Oneakka pointed out, also not for the first time.

Seeal set her fists on her hips and faced him. "You might have had a point about the javelin earlier, but when, in any realistic situation, am I going to end up using a broadsword?"

"If it's all you have then you'd use it."

"Because there are broadswords just lying around everywhere," she said sarcastically, though perhaps somewhat correctly.

"You need to learn to use it," Oneakka stated.

"It's too heavy for me," she repeated her reasoning. "If I used one in a fight I'm more likely to hurt myself from swinging the thing around. I'd never use one, even if one was conveniently to hand."

"You made the same argument about the two-handed battleaxe," he pointed out.

He shouldn't really enjoy someone arguing with him like this, questioning his methods. Most people would accept that he was clearly an expert on how to use weapons, but Seeal just liked to argue with him. And he liked to argue back.

"And I still have yet to find a two-handed battleaxe lying around for me to use," she protested sarcastically.

"There's one over there," Oneakka pointed off towards the practice battleaxes along the far wall.

She scoffed at his clear victory.

"Both battleaxes and broadswords are stupid weapons," she complained, clearly having lost the argument and running out of excuses.

Madesh had since retrieved two of the practice broadswords. They were made of wood rather than metal, but had the same weight and balance from added weights inside the wood.

"Both weapons can behead a Wraith with one stroke," Oneakka informed her.

"Maybe with big strong arms like yours," she gestured towards him with one hand.

The compliment was unexpected and threw him for a second.

"But, I'm not as strong as you," she continued.

He supposed 'big strong arms' was actually a description of him rather than an intended compliment.

"You'll get stronger arms by training with the broadsword," he replied, pleased at his argument.

She huffed out an annoyed sound, which clearly heralded another victory for him.

"Run through the standard sword kata movements first," he instructed as he stepped back, ending the verbal sparring session.

Seeal looked like she was going to refuse for a second, but Madesh offered her one of the training broadswords.

"Fine," she muttered as she grabbed the weapon and moved away to take up the starting position. "It's still stupid," she complained.

He was definitely winning this evening.

00000  
TBC


	11. The Sparring

**Chapter 11 – The Sparring**

Long Sleep hissed at the display and the sensations the Hive provided to him. The damage from the first two activations of the new drive was proving ridiculously difficult to repair.

The exterior hull had taken the greatest damage, so they had taken time to grow it even thicker. Long Sleep shifted his gaze along the numbers and the new weight ratio of the Hive. The hull was now three times thicker than any hull before and should, theoretically, hold up far better in the next jump of the new drive. The interior of the Hive though was another issue.

Separate from the physical stresses of the new drive's activation on the hull, the radiation being continuously emitted by the drive was having a significant impact on the internal structures of the Hive. The damage was affecting everything on a cellular level, limiting the Hive's ability to heal itself.

The increased nutritional fluids were helping, and his genetic splicing technique had repaired large parts of the veins and structural webbing through the central core levels of the Hive, but he couldn't stop the cellular weaknesses resulting from the radiation. Like the skeleton of his own body, the Hive's basic structural stability provided the base for the webbing, flooring, hibernation cells, and was supported by the veins, fluids, and tendonous flexibility for the ship to function. The stresses of the two jumps had added pressure throughout the Hive and thin lines of weaknesses were still detectable on scans despite the repair work.

A fellow Keeper stepped up to Long Sleep's side. "The main vein fluids have been increased."

Long Sleep nodded. "With time perhaps it will be enough."

"Are you certain about the damage?" The other asked.

Long Sleep glared round at the warrior and the stupid question. "You can see for yourself," he indicated the displays and the connection they all had with the Hive's basic intelligence. "The radiation from the new drive is permeating every level, every cell."

"Our Glorious Queen will protect us," the warrior replied.

Long Sleep frowned at the male's pallid face. In the last few hours he'd noticed that most of those around him had started to develop a slightly clammy look to their skin and a dullness to their eyes. It had to be the radiation.

Long Sleep had worked long and hard on the repair work since the last jump, but had taken time to sit and rise into the healing empty network that gave him some replenishment. By repeatedly sinking into that part-hibernation state, he kept reinforcing the wall around his thoughts and willed more life-force throughout his own body, working to help repair the affects of the radiation on his own cells.

But the others, he wasn't sure if they could do the same, didn't think to, or were too sick to try. Either way, the affect was obvious on the other warrior before him. The pallor of his skin and the faint frown of confusion across his previously clear thoughts, were just as worrying as the Hive's status. If the Hive was to stay in one piece, he needed capable Keepers around him to help.

Long Sleep turned back to the glowing hologram that displayed the weakened lines throughout the Hive. He had to do something, but, other than getting the Hive Primary to turn off the new drive and give the Hive time to heal properly, he was unsure what to do.

"It will have to be enough," the other Keeper stated, "there is not much longer until the next attack-"

Long Sleep swung round towards him. "When?"

"They are preparing the drones and warriors," the warrior replied. "The next jump with the drive is soon."

Long Sleep frowned. "When were we told this?"

"The Queen's command," the warrior replied. "Did you not hear her?" He frowned, his focus sharpening for a moment.

"It must have been during my short hibernation," Long Sleep quickly supplied his excuse.

The warrior nodded, his weakened mind accepting the answer.

"When is the attack?" Long Sleep asked, but he was already searching the ship's database on the console under his touch.

The answer shocked him – it was simply stupidity!

"That is not enough time!" He said angrily and disconnected himself away from the console.

He marched away towards the doorway out.

"Where are you going?" The other Keeper asked, sounding worried at the prospect of being left to monitor the Hive's systems alone.

Long Sleep didn't answer him though, instead he strode angrily out the door. There were a surprising number of warriors and drones moving through the halls, presumably heading for the fighter bays to run the standard checks before a culling. Long Sleep didn't bother to ask any of them, for the same dulled and unhealthy pallor showed across all the warriors' faces and the drones' minds felt slower. Moving like half emptied vessels, they were simply going where ordered.

Long Sleep headed the opposite way to them, pushing against the flow to make his way through the Hive to the ship's central command.

As he stepped out of the sweeper tunnel, now higher up into the Hive, he was greeted with busy activity that confirmed that preparations were indeed underway for the next activation of the drive. Long Sleep noticed that the warriors up here looked fresher in the face, but he could still see the faintest touch of dullness to their eyes.

As he entered the central command area, he had to dip under a membrane that was drooping low, dying. Long Sleep frowned at the membrane, noting it as another matter his team would have to address. Keeping the Hive in one piece was becoming harder with each passing moment.

But, he had a more pressing factor. The Hive Primary was stood centrally, the large hologram display glowing and turning before him.

Long Sleep headed directly for the big warrior. "Primary," he called.

"What is it now?" The large Hive Primary demanded without looking away from the hologram.

Long Sleep knew he had become a pestering voice for the Primary, and though it drew perhaps too much attention on him, Long Sleep still had to do what he could to protect the Hive.

"The next jump is too soon," Long Sleep objected straight away. "The structural weaknesses need more time to repair."

"You have had the time you requested," the Primary stated, still not looking round.

Long Sleep held his frustration under tight control. "The damage is taking longer to heal," he informed the idiotic creature. "You will have seen the scans."

"Our Great Queen has ordered the attack plan to continue."

Long Sleep moved around the consoles to place himself in the Primary's view. "If the damage continues, the ship will become structurally unsound."

"The hull has been strengthened; it will not give way."

"True enough, but we need to do the same for the internal structure," Long Sleep argued.

"The Hive will heal itself stronger," the Primary took something from a drone, looked at it and then nodded. He was not giving even part of his attention to the problem.

Long Sleep stepped directly into the hologram putting himself right in front of the Primary. "And if the Armoured Herd are there? Weapons fire will only speed up the damage."

The Primary finally looked Long Sleep in the eye. "Our Great Queen's mission is more important than our individual survival."

Long Sleep willed himself more patience. "And if the Hive is destroyed, so will be our Great Queen."

The Primary angled his head. "Your fear for our Great Queen is commendable," he stated, but his tone and attitude implied he was questioning otherwise.

"We cannot lose her powerful new lineage mix by a foolishly early attack that could lose the Hive," Long Sleep tried next.

"Our Great Queen will escape in her emergency vessel if the damage becomes too great," the Primary dismissed the concern.

This was going nowhere.

"I need another daily cycle," Long Sleep begged.

"The Queen has decreed our next attack is to proceed as planned," the Primary looked away. "Go back to your station and keep the Hive together. That is your function to focus on."

"Could my team at least feed?" Long Sleep tried next. "The radiation is-"

"There is no radiation," the Primary interrupted loudly.

Long Sleep set his sharp front teeth against his inner cheek to hold in his logical arguments at that stupidity. The Primary was not going to be persuaded – he was a stubborn overly muscular slow-thinker. The arguments had not worked before and they would not work now.

"Yes, Primary," Long Sleep replied automatically and lowered his eyes. There was nothing to be gained in dealing with the Primary any longer.

Long Sleep stalked away.

"Mutant?" the Hive Primary called out.

Long Sleep stopped, hating the term for him, but turned back to the Primary.

"You are not to walk into this section again," the Primary ordered. "Your place is to serve our Great Queen from the fluids and membranes of your station as Keeper."

There was nothing worthwhile to be achieved up here anyway.

"Yes, Primary," Long Sleep agreed and turned away. He worked to wrap up his angry thoughts tightly within the walls of his mind.

However, around those protective walls, he became aware of the Queen's mind suddenly focusing on him, all the way from her throne in her Chamber. He must have drawn her attention with his argument with the Primary. Long Sleep quickly let his worries and fears for the Hive's survival flood forward, diluting his deeper worries. He felt the Queen's mind touch the fears, tasting them.

Then he felt her touch grow, sinking in through those worries, sliding in so easily, as only a Queen's touch could do.

He felt true fear then that she would hear his true thoughts; that she would learn that he suspected her to be as mutated as he was seen to be.

And yet, even he could not resist the beautiful pleasure of the touch of a Queen's mind. He felt his own desire and desperateness to serve her rise instinctively. He had to physically stop as he left the central command area, supporting himself against a wall as the Queen's power flowed around him, feeling, touching, and soothing his fears.

He couldn't help but drink it in, but tried not to at the same time. Like a drug, the mental touch called to him, promising to make every worry fade and every fear dissolve.

His fears for the Hive began to lower, his inner mental walls threatening to willingly collapse for a moment, but he quickly pulled his mind away, burrowing deeper inside the walls. Her tempting soothing continuing though, seeking and probing as much as it was assisting and seducing.

Long Sleep breathed loudly and focused on his part-hibernation technique, lifting his mind from the moment and up into the emptiness of the network. Desperate, he gasped up into it, like breaching the surface of a drowning pool.

Seeking around in that space, he reached out towards his distant Brother's mind and found it; he was so far away, but he was there. Long Sleep drank in that connection, drawing strength and regaining control. With each breath of his body, relaxed far away against the warm hallway wall, he was able to focus again. Everything began to ease and he was, once again, able to gain space between him and the Queen.

Control regained, Long Sleep allowed himself to return into his present situation.

The Queen's mind and focus were still partly on him, but he sensed that she was pleased with his new calm. He presumed that she thought herself responsible, and he was happy to let her believe as much. It was important that he not draw her attention on him again, for the power of her mind...

He quickly pulled his fearful thoughts back under control.

Mentally, he sent out some thoughts of gratitude towards her, and threw in some more worries for the Hive's survival. She seemed pleased and then withdrew her focus from him entirely.

It was like being released from under a great pressing weight and feeling instantly weightless.

He realised that he was all but slumped against the hallway's wall. Almost panting with exhaustion, he stood upright and looked back in towards the Primary working away, apparently oblivious. No, it was a good thing for Long Sleep to stay away from here. Matters were worrying throughout the Hive, but, up here, it felt polluted somehow.

Long Sleep quickly hurried away, his protective mental wall solidly in place again. Clearly he could not stop the next activation of the drive, so he was going to have to focus on keeping the Hive together as much as was possible. The Hive needed someone to look after its interests and he seemed to be the only one who truly cared.

But, should matters eventually fail entirely, he would need to make sure he had a plan in place. A way that, should all collapse around him, that he could find a way out of this prison.

0000

The report for the IOA and Earth Defence had taken a lot longer than John had planned, but he'd wanted to include every argument possible to help convince the IOA to take up the Elite's trade offer.

He had hardly believed his ears when Teyla told them the Elite would give them energy weapons tech. Ford might just get his space guns after all. It could be a real game changer for the city and for Earth. Sure they used any Wraith stunners they could get their hands on, but reverse engineering them had proven impossible apparently. John hadn't really paid attention to Rodney's prolonged and excessively boring excuses why, but it had something to do with the Wraith tech being organic based, and they weren't about to grow Wraith tech cells in the city.

So, if the Elite shared their versions, it would give Rodney and his fellow scientists all they needed. Homemade stunners – John couldn't even start on how it could change things. Even back on Earth it could change so much. Instead of guns, the military and cops could use harmless stunners. It could revolutionise policing and warfare on Earth, let alone here in Pegasus. He'd made sure to stress all that in his report.

He jabbed at a few more keys, putting in a few more commas to make sure the thing actually made sense. His reports about the Alliance and Elite had usually been long, but today's was pushing things. Maybe he was overselling it?

He frowned at the last paragraph again, reading it through as if the words might have changed in the few minutes since he'd last read it. He glanced at the time displayed in the corner of the computer screen. He'd pretty much finished the report an hour ago, but had turned to familiarising himself with his team's new mission tomorrow – babysitting Dr Lindsay on her weekly visits to M1K 177 to teach the locals there about new approaches to agriculture and fishing. Apparently the teaching classes were popular on M1K 177, but the reports he'd read from Lorne's team accompanying her made it clear that the mission was boringly simple. Though, the locals were friendly and, apparently, there was a good local inn where the team and Dr Lindsay were always given a meal. Lorne had warned several times in his reports not to drink one particular potent beer, so John had made a good note of that. No one wanted Rodney getting tanked on a mission.

Besides that warning, there was little else to learn. John had gone over the aerial scans of the short route to the village, making sure he knew the local terrain, but quickly he had returned to his report on the Elite deal. He'd added several more ideas and arguments, and a wealth of more commas.

The truth was, he'd finished and he was hesitating to send his final copy ready for transmission back home.

Surely the IOA would take up the Elite's offer? What more could they ask for?

With a sigh, he saved his final copy and sent it to the right folder on the city database ready to be transmitted to Earth via Midway. He'd pretty much left it to the last minute.

There was nothing else he could do now, except get back to Teyla and Si. He shutdown his computer and set out into the city, making his way quickly out to the gym that had been set aside for the Marines to share some sparring time with the Elite.

John hoped Teyla was doing okay with him having been gone for the last few of hours. Not that she needed babysitting or anything.

He could hear the sparring long before the door into the gym came into view. The same long sparring session had happened the last time the Elite had visited, but, as John rounded the last corner, he could see that this time there was a far bigger audience. People were crowded around the outside of the open door of the gym, and, oddly, many of them were of the scientist variety rather than military. The clashing sounds of wooden weapons and bodies hitting the padded mats were fast and accompanied by loud cheers.

As he reached the doorway and pushed his way gently through the mass of humanity pressed up to the doorway, he could see that it was equally as packed inside the gym. Most of those inside were military though, and it sounded like they were watching a football match rather than sparring.

As John squeezed his way further in, he finally saw Si stood in the centre of the room on the mats, bantos rods in his hands as he faced off against the circle of Marines around him. John frowned at the bantos rods – they were his own practice sticks Teyla had given him. Presumably someone had pulled them out of the weapons locker for Si, who, being Athosian himself, probably preferred them to the Earth practice weapons.

John gently pushed his way right to the front of the circle of watching audience and saw that those sparring with Si – who were not only Marines but some of the city, Daedalus, and Apollo crew – all looked pretty exhausted. They were taking it in turns facing the Elite, though occasionally several of them were attacking as a group in an attempt to take down the big warrior. Si, in typical Elite fashion, was dealing with each attempt quickly and efficiently. John watched as Si blocked a swung wooden katana sword and brought his other bantos rod round and across the Marine's shoulder. The audience all reacted loudly, making sympathetic noises whilst also cheering.

Si, at least, looked like he had built up a good sweat, but he was clearly pulling his hits. As three Marines and one of the Daedalus crew all rushed at Si together, John watched, amazed anew at how such a big muscular guy as Si could move so quickly. Presumably that was what happened why you were trained to fight from a small child and honed your skills fighting Wraith every day. As Si' massive dark arms swung round, the bantos rods hit backs of arms, inner forearms, or legs, pushing each attacker out of range or to the mats in turn. The dance moved constantly, shifting across the mats to and fro as Si reacted and those on the mats scurried up and away out of range, or some of them tried attacking from the floor.

The audience greeted each hit, jab, and crumpling Marine with groans, shouted advice, teasing and the occasional clapping.

John watched as an exhausted looking Ford stepped forward, swinging a wooden katana sword with both hands while Stackhouse rushed at Si' middle, hoping to grapple him to the mats.

Stackhouse's attempt to push Si over didn't work at all and he simply ended up with both arms wrapped around Si' middle. Ford attacked, swinging the katana at Si, hoping to take advantage of Stackhouse's distraction. Somehow, Si stepped aside, Stackhouse being forced to move with him or tumble to the floor, and blocked Ford's attack.

Ford pulled back and struck again, while Stackhouse got a good grip on the back of Si' pants and wrestled around, hoping to dislodge Si' balance a bit. The audience all laughed.

Si, seeming to find the approach amusing himself, did the unexpected and dropped one bantos stick to the mat and used his free hand to grab and pull at one of Stackhouse's arms. Si simultaneously moved sideways as he pulled, and Stackhouse lost his footing. Fortunately, Si had hold of him, but he used that to swing Stackhouse around and into Ford.

The audience laughed and cheered as Stackhouse and Ford tumbled onto Lieutenants Miller and Torres who had been lined up to attack next. Most of the audience behind them just about managed to dodge away in time, all to more laughter. Everyone was clearly enjoying themselves.

In front of John, one of the Apollo crew and Captain Soto rushed at Si' turned back, but the big Elite swung round as he ducked, sweeping up his previously dropped bantos rod, and rushed at them instead. Surprised at that, the two quickly darted back and away. As Si tracked them, John saw the big Elite notice him and the guy actually took a moment to nod at him.

"Sheppard," Si greeted him like he wasn't taking on an entire room of trained military personnel.

"Having fun?" John shouted over the noise as Ford and Torres were up and ran at Si from the other side now.

"They're learning," Si replied as he swept his arms around, taking out Soto and cracking the end of one stick across Ford's upper arm. More applause roared up as the Apollo crewman managed to get under Si' guard and wrapped both his arms around one of Elite's shoulders in another attempt to get the man down to the mats. Si did stagger slightly, but then turned, dropped and rolled the crewman over and down onto the mats to a chorus of cheers.

John dragged his eyes off the action though, craning his neck to look around the room, trying to find Teyla. There was no sign of her.

He did spot General O'Neill though, who was stood at one end of the gym, in the front row of the tight press of the audience. O'Neill was shouting excitable suggestions and getting right into the spirit of the event. John edged his way around to him, keeping well away from the edge of the fighting so as not to get caught by a randomly thrown Marine or bantos rod.

"General," John announced as he slid into place next to O'Neill.

"Major," O'Neill looked round. "Got that report done yet?"

"Yes, Sir," John replied instantly. "All done."

"Good," O'Neill looked back to the fighting and joined the rest of the audience with an exaggerated wince. John looked round to see Stackhouse and Ford helping pull someone else off the mats. "This guy puts Jaffa to shame!"

"Yes, Sir," John agreed.

"I've got two hundred bet on him," O'Neill added.

"Oh," John nodded, and decided not to point out that betting was frowned upon by Colonel Carter. "Pretty safe money I'd say," he added. "You know where Elite Emmagan went?" He asked.

"Looking for the Mrs, huh?" O'Neill grinned and then shouted "Get in there Lars," across the mats.

" _You_ get in there," the other military man shouted back across the gym.

Major Lars was a long time veteran of the SGC, so John guessed the two had worked together for a ton of years.

"Bad knees," O'Neill gestured to his legs.

"Sure, sure," Lars mocked back, but he was clearly looking for his moment to get back onto the mats around the ten or so personnel currently circling Si.

"Where is Elite Emmagan, Sir?" John prompted his superior again.

"Lieutenant Cadman took her down to the Infirmary," O'Neill answered over the dim and John's stomach dropped. Had Teyla been hurt? How was that possible considering her ninja warrior princess fighting skills? "Her pet dinosaur was due its medical check in with Doc Keller," O'Neill finished.

John sighed out with relief. "Right. Thanks," he replied. He should have remembered that Ketra was due to visit the Infirmary for a medical check at some point this afternoon. Dr Keller had requested to be able to check over Ketra on her first day just to make sure the dragon wasn't carrying any infections or parasites or something else that could be bad for the city.

"Good luck with the bet, Sir," John shouted over another loud room-wide cheer.

John edged his way back around the gym, watching as Ford, Stackhouse, and two from the Daedalus had formed a phalanx against Si, all advancing and then stepping back when Si threw a testing swing of a bantos. John had to grin at the clear enjoyment on everyone's faces.

He reached the doorway and looked back just in time to see Si break the stalemate by throwing one of his bantos rods at the tight group. The audience gasped and laughed at the result as John headed out; he had more than enough experience watching Elite fight and at being on the receiving end of Si' version of sparring. The big guy would win without question, but he appeared to be enjoying the sparring, if John was any judge. O'Neill would win his bet.

As John headed down the corridor outside, he spotted yet more scientists walking towards him, clearly heading for the gym because there wasn't any other reason for them to be in this section of the city. It occurred to John then that a large percentage of the scientists passing by were female, as had been the majority watching back at the gym's doorway. John looked back over his shoulder suspiciously; it seemed that perhaps Si was drawing in more admiring eyes than just scientific curiosity.

He could hardly judge, considering that he was marching quickly through the city to go find his gorgeous alien wife. Not that things were quite so romantically simple between them anymore. Romantically simple? Where had he gotten that phrase from?

Shaking his head at himself, he stepped into a transporter and was delivered back into the Central Tower. A short walk, at a measured casual pace, and he headed into the main entrance to the Infirmary.

He had almost expected an audience in here too, all wanting to see Ketra, but instead it just looked like a normal day. Well, apart from the collection of military staff off to one side, all sporting a range of bruises and cuts – causalities of Si even when pulling his hits.

John gave them some amused smiles as he passed by, clocking names so he could tease them later. He got a good glare from Sergeant Becker, but John just grinned back and the guy rolled his eyes and smiled.

There was still no sign of Teyla though, so John continued on further into the many linked rooms of the Infirmary. Ahead, he spied Lorne, part of Teyla's guard detail, but he was leant casually against a cabinet and chatting up a nurse. Evan saw John approaching and immediately pointed off to the left, indicating where John should be heading. Clearly it was all was very relaxed here.

John decided to leave Evan to his flirting without comment, for now, and headed off to the left, entering the room that housed the Ancient beds with the full length scanners. And there was Teyla, sat beside one of the medical beds, Carson, Doc Keller, and Cadman with her. They all looked very relaxed, just sitting and chatting.

Cadman and Teyla spotted him first, both sat with the best view of the entrance. John instantly assessed Teyla's expression and could see that she was very relaxed, even openly smiling.

Carson looked round over his shoulder and smiled at John too. It was good to see the Doc out of his medical side room so much more now. The left side of his body still looked slightly raw, but it was healing up so well. Nothing was going to save him from the lifelong scars, but, with the Elite Healers' help, he was healing faster and better than predicted.

A long white strap ran around Carson's back, connected to the thick plastic brace around the top of his right upper arm. His cast had come off recently and he was now sporting the plastic look. But, the new addition was Ketra, sat with her chin on Carson's right knee as he stroked her velvety head.

"Looks like things are a lot more relaxed in here than in the gym," John announced as he arrived, feeling faintly like a third wheel entering into what looked like a nice chilled group chat.

"Honoured Elite Si still kicking everyone's asses, Sir?" Cadman asked with a grin.

"He sure is," John grinned back.

Ketra, hearing his voice, had lifted her head from Carson's knee and stretched her long dragon neck towards him.

"Hey, Ketra," John smiled as he stroked her head and scratched around one ear. "Everything go okay with her health checks?" John asked, mostly towards Teyla.

"Aye," Carson was the one to answer. "She's done wonderfully." Ketra returned her attention back to Carson and delicately rested her chin back onto his knee as he stroked her head.

"Looks like you've got a fan there," John noted, a little surprised.

"Ketra is a very good judge of character," Teyla put in, seeming just as relaxed herself, one elbow leant on the Ancient medical bed beside her.

"Thank you, Luv," Carson smiled back to her. "Ketra is a fascinating creature."

"She has been very accommodating," Dr Keller put in next. "We managed to get her onto a bed and run the Ancient scanner over her."

"Really?" John asked, surprised Ketra had been so willing.

"Interestingly," the Doc added, "the Ancient database recognised her species and pulled forward records we hadn't previously noticed."

"It appears that the Ancestors were aware of Ketra's species' ability to sense the Wraith," Teyla supplied.

"It seems they were studying her species not long before the war forced them back to Atlantis," Carson put in next. "The Ancients' research shows that Ketra's species' ability is not due to the same gene that Honoured Elite Emmagan carries," Carson explained. "Instead, the Ancient scientists concluded that her species have a natural 'psychic ability' anyway which happens to allow them to detect Wraith."

"Psychic? As in just sensing the Wraith or psychic as she can read my mind kind of way?" John asked with a touch of concern.

Carson smiled, as did Teyla across from to him. She really did seem very at ease here, but then she had some history with Carson, since the Doc had been the one to treat her after Iketani had stabbed her. Teyla had asked after Carson many times since he'd been hurt, and she had been partly responsible for the Elite Healers visiting Carson to this day to help him recover.

"The Ancients' research implies they have more of an empathic sense of each other," Carson replied. "The Ancients seemed interested in that ability generally outside of Wraith detection. Maybe it was part of their ascension research."

"Ketra has always appeared quite attuned to those around her," Teyla said. John had to agree; he'd seen for himself how Ketra reacted to Teyla's moods. If Teyla was stressed, he'd seen Ketra get restless and she often seemed to try to comfort Teyla.

John looked down at Ketra where she was sat, her eyes closed and that strange bubbling sound that was her version of purring was rumbling from her throat, as Carson stroked her head with his unscarred right hand. John imagined that moving that previously broken arm, the top of which was in the brace, couldn't be all that comfortable, but Carson was smiling down at the dragon.

"And she's healthy otherwise?" John checked.

"Absurdly so," Keller answered. "She has a fascinating nervous system and what appears to be an entirely new type of skin cell that allow her to change colour the way she does.

John nodded, noting Ketra's mid-silver colouring. It wasn't the brightest he'd seen it, but she was clearly happy enough. "When she's in dark grey mode that's when you've got to be careful." He remembered how deadly she could be against Wraith.

"We suspect the colouration changes are used not unlike chameleons back home, as both camouflage and as a way of communicating," Keller suggested.

"Dr Keller showed me images and videos of your planet's chameleons," Teyla told him, "they are very sweet."

John had to smile at that. "Sweet, huh?"

Teyla smiled back.

"That led on to a whole discussion about dinosaurs," Cadman put in. "Since that's what General O'Neill keeps calling Ketra."

"Fascinating creatures," Teyla agreed. "It is shame that none are left on your world to study."

"Actually, we did find that planet where there was something like a T-Rex," John looked at Cadman.

"M1M-316, I think," Cadman replied.

"Yeah," John nodded and looked back to Teyla. "It tried to eat McKay."

She smiled again, knowing how he liked to tease Rodney. "I am glad that it was unsuccessful."

"Speaking of eating, the welcome dinner starts in an hour or so," he noted to Teyla. "I thought that might give us time to take Ketra for a walk on one of the piers?"

Teyla smiled and began to stand. "Yes, that would be lovely." She looked to Dr Keller. "Do you have everything you need?"

"Yes, Honoured Elite," Keller replied as she stood up. "The blood tests for the both of you were all fine, the DNA test of Ketra's blood is just for research and I know that Dr Petri is excited to see the results her meeting with Ketra tomorrow."

"Of course," Teyla replied. "If possible, Ketra and I could visit you again tomorrow Dr Beckett?" She asked Carson as he stood too, though with a little more effort. John suspected Carson was tired; it was probably good that the chat was over so the Doc could get back to some resting.

"Please, call me Carson," Carson smiled at Teyla. "And yes, please come by any time," Carson told her. "I welcome the company, and perhaps we could look at Ketra's DNA results together."

"I look forward to it," Teyla smiled back and John saw her reach across and gently touch his forearm, just below his brace.

Carson smiled, clearly appreciating the kind touch, though John felt a stupid little flare of something that made him want to make a joke about Carson keeping away from his wife. He didn't though.

"It was lovely meeting you, Ketra," Carson said down to the dragon as he stroked from her snout to her ears. "I shall see you tomorrow."

"Thank you for bringing her in," Dr Keller said to Teyla, though it had been required.

"Thank you both for your time," Teyla replied as she led Ketra away from the two Doctors, smiles back and forth.

John turned and walked with Teyla back through the Infirmary, Cadman following behind. Lorne saw them coming and said one last thing to the petite nurse before turning towards them. As Evan joined their little group, sliding into place beside Cadman, John glanced at the departing nurse and then back to Evan with a knowing look. Only, Evan responded with a pointed look towards Teyla's back.

John frowned at that, and Evan grinned and shared a look with Cadman.

John glared at them and focused forward again. He needed to remember the two were close enough behind to hear anything said.

Out of the Infirmary, John smiled at Teyla beside him. "Everything go okay in there?" he checked, just to be sure that she hadn't been hiding anything back in there out of politeness.

"Yes, Dr Keller was very kind and very patient with Ketra," Teyla replied. Ketra had resumed her place walking directly behind Teyla, her snout practically tickling the backs of Teyla's knees.

"Thanks for agreeing to the checks," John told her, aware of every word he picked. He felt like Evan and Cadman were assessing everything now. Or was he just being paranoid?

"It was very interesting to see the Ancestral scanners here," Teyla continued, unaware of his caution. "We have discovered something close to them in Alliance territory, but not able to scan the entire body like those here."

"Really?" John asked, feeling a bit weird about making small talk all of a sudden.

"It is very pleasing to know that Ketra truly is in good health," Teyla added, looking up at him with a smile as they walked. John got the feeling that she was reassuring him for some reason.

"Good," he smiled back.

She held his gaze for a second and then looked forward again. John did the same. He strained his hearing for a second to hear if Cadman and Evan were talking or listening.

There was nothing but silence as the four of them, plus Ketra, walked down the empty corridor.

John cleared his throat. "I, um, thought we could take Ketra along the North Pier, there's plenty of space there for her to run around and different levels she can climb on. No trees, though," he glanced back at Ketra, who was looking less relaxed out of the Infirmary.

"She should enjoy that," Teyla replied with a smile. "It will be nice to breathe some fresh air. I always enjoy the scent of the ocean here."

Okay this was more relaxed talk.

"Hopefully Ketra won't mind all the water," John added. He resisted the urge to look back at Cadman and Evan again.

"Did things proceed well with the meeting after Si and I left?" Teyla asked.

"Definitely," John replied. "I think everyone was surprised at how much the Elite are willing to share with us." He chose his words carefully, yet again navigating the political/work line versus their 'friendship'.

"The contract is important to the Elite," Teyla replied, her expression earnest. "Despite the complications of politics and trade, the Elite understand that Atlantis has to be as ready to actively engage the Wraith as possible. You are no good to us if you cannot defend yourselves adequately," she said with a smile in her voice.

John looked round at her, surprised at the sudden teasing tone. "You talking about Atlantis or me?" He asked, pushing one eyebrow up, Mr Spock style.

Teyla smiled and looked forward. "Perhaps both."

"Which is why I'm staying well away from Si during this trip," John returned. "He can beat up some other people for a change."

She grinned at that and John grinned back.

Then he remembered about the two sets of eyes watching from behind.

He schooled his smile and found himself peering back over his shoulder at the two shadows.

Cadman and Evan looked back at him with smiling eyes.

He looked forward again, only to spot two unwelcome people ahead.

Woolsey and Professor Morgan. John frowned suspiciously at the two who just happened to be standing in this corridor. They were both smartly dressed, presumably for the meal later, but that was a good hour away.

"Honoured Elite Emmagan," Woolsey smiled and bowed his head, Morgan doing the same.

"Greetings again, Mr Woolsey. Professor Morgan," Teyla responded, the polite political smile obvious across her face.

"I hope everything went well in the Infirmary," Woolsey asked.

"Yes, indeed," Teyla replied. "Ketra is very well."

"That is very pleasing to hear," Prof. Morgan smiled.

"We were just stretching our legs before the dinner," Woolsey stated as a weak excuse.

"We are taking Ketra for a walk on the North Pier," Teyla supplied willingly.

"Perhaps we could join you?" Woolsey suggested.

What a surprise.

John saw Teyla look at him out the corner of his eyes, but he kept his eyes on the two men. They were clearly looking for some one-to-one time chatting with Teyla away from the others.

"Sure," John agreed with what felt like his own very fake political smile.

"It seems to be a lovely evening out there," Woolsey stated as he turned and extended his elbow to Teyla.

Teyla, understanding the gesture because John had done it in the past, smiled at Woolsey and placed her left hand around his elbow. "I hope so as well," she seemed sincere as Woolsey led her forward.

John indicated the Professor to go ahead of him and then followed the three, glancing back at Cadman and Evan following behind him. Both of them had the same doubtful suspicious look at the IOA reps' sudden convenient appearance.

"Honoured Elite," Professor Morgan asked. "Might I ask, you mentioned that the Elite reach decisions via consensus."

"Yes, we do," Teyla confirmed.

"How many Elite warriors are there?" Morgan asked. "It must take some time to gather everyone's opinions on a subject."

They hadn't wasted any time.

So much for a nice quiet relaxed evening walk with Teyla and Ketra.

0000  
TBC


	12. The Discussions

**NOTE:** Apologies for the delay in posting – the recent storm took down my phone line and internet, and then it came back only for my router to crash. I'm uploading this now from a public library as I am waiting for my new router to be delivered – and to hopefully work properly. I should have the next chapter done in a couple of days and hopefully things will be working by then, or it'll be back here again.

00000

 **Chapter 12 – The Discussions**

Little Aki' eyes were bright, shiny orbs looking up at Halling. The curious and slightly confused expression across the boy's face cut strangely at Halling's heart. He held the bright fluffy toy closer to Aki, assisting the boy's reaching fingers to finally grasp the softly jangling toy and pull it closer to him.

Try as he might, and Halling wished that he would stop trying, he kept studying Aki' features for hints of Iketani in the boy. He had her colouring in his complexion and hair, but Halling saw more of his Father's facial structure, but then that could change as Aki grew older. Aki' biological father, High Councillor Telson, was hardly the most honourable of Fathers, but he was allowed to see Aki on prearranged dates. Telson would never declare Aki as his own due to the legitimacy rules of his people, and admitting the traitor Iketani was the boy's mother would result in Telson losing his High Council position and probably both of his wives as well. So, instead, Massa was now Aki' registered Guardian parent and was a far more superior parent in Halling's opinion.

Aki had not had the most honourable of biological parents, but, in Massa, he now had the most doting of fathers. Growing up with the same education and training as the other children here in the Facility would provide Aki with the best of starts for what he chose for himself in the future. If he showed an aptitude to being the warrior that his mother was, then perhaps he might even become an Elite himself. Yet, looking into the little eyes of the adorable baby boy, Halling realised that he hoped that Aki would not show such skill.

Not for the first time did Halling wonder what his own life might have been like had he not joined the Elite training programme as a boy. Might he have married and had children of his own? Might he have become a carpenter like his father, or perhaps worked for Torren in the government of their people?

Or might he have not lived into adulthood? Perhaps he could have been taken by disease or an accident? Perhaps he would never have made old bones regardless of his life choices.

Or could he have sat up through many nights caring for his own children, and perhaps then his grandchildren?

Halling settled little Aki further down in his arms, the boy's belly full with his late meal and his eyes soft with forthcoming sleep as he grasped the fluffy toy to his chest. Halling rocked slightly from side to side, encouraging the babe to sleep.

Perhaps it was the threat of the deadly fate ahead of him, but holding Aki felt particularly poignant this evening. Aki was just starting his life, full of the potential of a long and vibrant life, while Halling was looking towards the end of his life. Even if he was able to avoid Sitayi' prediction, he was still at the other end of the spectrum of life from Aki. Where Aki was about to start the journey of life, to discover and become the young man he wanted to be, while Halling knew very welll who and what he was, and that truth felt oddly sad and depressing today.

"It's a valid question," Seeal's comment cut through Halling's sad thoughts.

He lifted his eyes from the sleepy Aki to the verbally duelling pair across the table. Two more people set in their ways, older and wiser than Aki, but clearly locked in their own life choices and pains.

He had been a little surprised that Oneakka and Seeal had not bickered through the meal, though there had been the odd comment. However, the meal now done, the two had lapsed into their more familiar bickering from the days on the Sythus. Halling had not been listening to what they were arguing about, instead losing himself in holding Aki and reflecting on youth and life choices.

"You're just trying to make a point about the sparring," Oneakka told Seeal who was sat on his left side, while Madesh remained quiet and respectful on Oneakka's other side.

It occurred to Halling that the rest of the canteen was also very quiet around them. He turned in his seat to look behind him at the large relatively empty room. There were only a few Recruits sat around at the tables and he noticed that each of them were sat alone and were studying.

He turned back round to the table and leant slightly towards Massa sat on his left. "Is there an exam tomorrow?"

Massa pulled his eyes away from Oneakka and Seeal. "It's this rotation's strategy exams and then training standards the day after."

Halling nodded with understanding, unable to stop himself from smiling at his own remembered late nights studying and the quiet panic before exams. "Those days seem so long ago now."

Massa smiled. "They _were_ a long time ago."

Halling nodded and chuckled lightly to himself, as Massa being younger than him only made the point further. He glanced back round towards the closest Recruit sat bent over two tablets, the glow of the screens highlighting the intense frown of revision.

"It _is_ a valid point," Seeal stressed to Oneakka. "It's a thought experiment; surely the Elite think about things."

Halling glanced back towards the argument at Seeal's comment, which had clearly been designed to question Oneakka's, and the Elite's, intelligence.

Oneakka responded by rolling his eyes and letting out a loud sigh of apparent frustration. Halling frowned at the display, which had been overly exaggerated for Oneakka. Oneakka wasn't normally one for dramatic expressions and his usual way of dealing with anything that frustrated him was to threaten it, ignore it, or kill it. Clearly he was doing none of those right now.

"You should never be without a weapon," Oneakka told her with a heavy tone that would make anyone else cower away and not raise the subject again with him. Ever.

Seeal though, in an annoyingly predictable fashion, reacted differently. "That's not the point," she told Oneakka while letting out a loud frustrated sigh and rolling her eyes, mimicking Oneakka's earlier exaggerated reaction.

Halling switched his gaze to Oneakka to see how that would be greeted.

"The point is you're annoyed that you had to train with the broadsword," Oneakka told her simply.

"Because it slows me down and therefore is a weakness in a fight," Seeal argued. "Honoured Elite Halling?"

Halling snapped his eyes to her, surprised at her sudden reference.

"What do you think?" She asked, politely. He was almost more thrown by her politeness than her sudden attention.

"Which question?" He asked, not entirely sure what she and Oneakka were actually bickering about.

"Do you think it is better to have no weapon in a fight or to have one that significantly slows you down?" Seeal asked.

It was actually an interesting question.

Halling considered the woman across the cluttered table between them. The tablets and pads, empty food trays and cups all told of the last two hours spent around the table, and yet this was perhaps the first time today that he'd spoken directly with Seeal.

The last time he'd seen her had been at the Nest System battle and the many weeks since then had clearly had a dramatic effect on her. She looked far more at ease than she'd been on the Sythus, which was understandable, and the Facility was now her home and workplace. On the Sythus she had had a sense of wild danger to her that had told of her life living in treacherous places and in making bad choices, but now she appeared to have relaxed into a calmer state. There was still a raw sharpness to her gaze that some might find uncomfortable in its brutal assessment, but her dark eyes now held surprising patience as she waited for his answer.

Her time here in the Facility had also clearly improved her health, for her face had lost its wild animal edges and had softened to a healthier glow. There was also a new stronger line to her shoulders and arms which spoke of improved muscle mass, which was no doubt due to Oneakka's influence in her training. Oneakka was of the opinion that everyone needed more muscle.

"I would say," Halling replied, "that it would wiser to go without a weapon in that specific case."

The former Security Lead of Dreamstation grinned victoriously round at Oneakka. "See," she declared.

"But," Halling put in quickly, "our own bodies are weapons and therefore we are never truly without a weapon."

"Further agreeing with my point," Seeal nodded in agreement.

Oneakka rolled his eyes again and looked away.

"That sound you hear," Seeal added, learning towards Oneakka to pull his attention back to her, "is me winning this argument."

Halling switched his attention quickly to Oneakka, waiting to see how his friend was going to react to that provocation.

Oneakka glared at her, but there were no obvious signs of an impending explosion of anger.

Seeal smiled smugly and reached for her glass of water.

"You're still training with the broadsword," Oneakka told her. "To build strength."

She pulled a face at that suggestion, but she had taken a mouthful of water and couldn't immediately answer.

"That sound you hear," Oneakka told her quickly, "is me _finishing_ the argument."

Halling was a little surprised at that comeback and at Oneakka's clear smug pleasure in delivering it. Halling felt Massa's elbow faintly touch against his. Halling looked round to see Massa smiling and, with a tilt of his head, indicating the two across the table.

If that was Massa's evidence of some fictional romance, then Halling was not convinced. Clearly Oneakka enjoyed some element of the bickering and he appeared relaxed sat with Seeal, but enjoying arguing with someone was hardly a sign of something romantic.

Oneakka had never had to struggle to draw a female eye, even after his facial scars. But, when Oneakka was occasionally interested in a female's attention, he usually pursued that interest quickly and decisively, and then it was over. Like any hunter, Oneakka focused on what he wanted, when he wanted it, and then moved on to the next focus of his attention. In Halling's opinion, if Oneakka was interested in being in Seeal's bed, he would have been there already and have returned to his Elite work quickly afterwards. That was simply Oneakka's way.

Massa's fabled idea that Oneakka might be 'smitten' over Seeal had no bearing in reality for Halling. Clearly the two had developed an unexpected mutual respect and enjoyed arguing with each other, but this was Oneakka.

Halling shook his head at Massa's eager smile, but Massa simply shook his head dismissively in return. As Halling looked away, he noticed that Madesh had seen the silent exchange between him and Massa, and Madesh smiled and glanced down to his drink clasped between his hands.

Unlike Seeal, Madesh was always respectful, quiet, and polite. Though he too had spent much of his life making wrong choices and dealing with the bad consequences, he had found a place here. In serving the Elite to help defeat the Wraith, Madesh was forging himself into a vital and useful man, even outside his unusual natural gift.

Aki shifted in Halling's arms, starting to fuss. Halling returned his full attention to the boy, bouncing him slightly in his arms, which usually worked. Except, he could see that Aki was actively resisting the urge to sleep now, fighting against forces out of his power; Halling felt considerable empathy for the boy.

Massa leant in, peering down at his son. "He gets like this every night now," he sighed. "Usually only walking round the Facility helps."

Halling began rocking and bouncing the boy some more, simulating the motions of walking as best he could. Aki stilled, succumbing a little.

Massa looked impressed. "You want to stay here permanently?" He asked with an eager smile.

Halling smiled but suspected the motions would not last on Aki, but, for now, he was happy to hold the babe for as long as possible. He could not soothe his own struggles all that effectively, but he could help Aki a little.

The arguing across the table had soothed as well though. Halling glanced across to the conversation Oneakka and Seeal were now having with apparent civility.

"What is it?" Oneakka was asking her.

"It's like kind of like a triple-headed axe with big jagged edges jutting out from the top and bottom edges of all the axe heads," Seeal answered while waving her hands through the air to demonstrate the weapon she was describing. "Apparently they used to tip the jagged edges with poison, but there was some story of a King who, while leading his people to a battle against his enemies, accidently poisoned himself on his own axe before the battle started."

"Where was this?" Oneakka asked.

"It's a moon, I think; I've never been there myself. They keep changing the name depending on who is the ruling King, or sometimes Queen," Seeal answered.

"You had one of the axes?" Oneakka asked her.

"I had to confiscate a load of them off some male warriors on Dream. The Stratfens, as they're commonly known, carry them around as a show of power. They didn't take kindly to me denuding them of their big manly axes," she grinned.

"What were they made out of?" Oneakka asked her next, clearly interested in the subject – hunting information with his usual single focus.

"Some sort of heat-treated iron-heavy element," she answered, the two appearing to be having an actual calm conversation.

"You never tried sparring with one?"

"Only once," Seeal replied. "I almost pulled my shoulder out of its socket. The Stratfens mostly just carry the things around, they rarely actually fight with them."

"Then the story of the King poisoning himself is wrong if they never actually use them," Oneakka pointed out the hole in her story.

"Maybe they just carried them to the battle to show off their strength," Seeal countered.

"Then why tip the edges with poison?" Oneakka challenged.

"My point is that I never saw them try and use the things, and some of the younger warriors looked like they could barely carry their oversized axes," Seeal responded, the argumentative tone having returned all too quickly.

"Maybe you never saw them fight with the axes because you confiscated them before they could be used," Oneakka suggested, seeming to be provoking another argument.

Seeal sighed heavily as she picked up her water glass again and glared round at Oneakka. "Does this mean that you're now going to go find one of the Stratfen axes just to prove me wrong?"

"No," Oneakka looked away, the lie very obvious. "It's going to be for research and for the Facility's weapons collection," he added.

Seeal snorted what sounded like a laugh at that as she drank down the last of her water and set the glass back onto the table.

"We should probably be leaving, Seeal," Madesh said from the other end of the table.

Aki was shifting in Halling's arms again, still resisting the rocking motions, which were getting a little tiring for Halling already. His arms had taken quite an ordeal with that sparring session earlier.

"Another music festival to ruin?" Oneakka asked Madesh.

Halling frowned at that, but Massa leant slightly in to report that "Yesterday evening, Seeal and a group from the Sythus started a mass brawl on a Satedan moon during a music festival." Massa then leant away again, clearly enjoying the subject.

"The Satedan security force started the brawl," Seeal quickly explained.

"We are not going to another festival this evening," Madesh supplied as he stood up from his seat. "A group of us are going to Myrtle's."

"Myrtle's?!" Oneakka repeated, looking alarmed.

"Wise choice; should be far safer than a Satedan festival," Massa noted to Madesh.

"Indeed, Honoured Elite," Madesh smiled politely to Massa.

"Don't start a brawl in Myrtle's," Oneakka told Seeal sternly as she stood up from her seat.

"I didn't start the brawl!" Seeal insisted to him.

"We are going to be late to meet the others if we do not leave now," Madesh said to Seeal, but Halling suspected the suggestion was also intended to prevent another argument from starting.

"Fine," Seeal muttered, clearly not pleased at the brawl comments, as she collected up her empty tray.

"Enjoy yourselves at Myrtle's," Massa said to the two, clearly finding something funny about it all.

"Thank you, Honoured Elite," Madesh bowed his head. "Honoured Elite Halling. Honoured Elite Oneakka."

"Stay out of trouble," Oneakka told them, but only Madesh nodded and agreed as the two headed away from the table.

Halling felt a subtle relaxation come over him at their departure. He far preferred being in simple Elite company of late. He rather wished that Teyla could be here as well, but that thought brought another rush of guilt for not having told her about Sitayi' prediction. If he survived the prophecy, he would tell Teyla everything, but, until then, everyone needed to be focused on their own lives and work.

He glanced across to Oneakka, his one confidant in it all. Oneakka was looking off towards the canteen exit though. Halling looked round; was Maja here to report the latest on the Amduat situation?

There was no sign of Maja though, only Madesh and Seeal putting their used trays and cups away for cleaning and heading towards the exit. Halling looked back towards Oneakka, only to see his friend glancing towards Seeal's empty seat, where her jacket still hung around the back of the chair.

"She forgot her jacket," Halling found himself noting out loud.

"She'll notice," Oneakka dismissed the issue.

Halling frowned at the jacket though. "Why does she even wear one? I thought she was immune to the cold?" He remembered that fact well considering what had happened on the Glisi homeworld – her homeworld. When all of them had been huddled cold even inside their thick coats, she had looked perfectly comfortable.

"She doesn't feel the cold but she likes to feel warm," Oneakka supplied.

Halling frowned at that strange little fact.

"Myrtle might not even let them in the club," Oneakka added.

"Oh Myrtle will let _her_ in," Massa grinned.

Oneakka frowned across the table.

Aki grizzled in Halling's arms, his arms waving wildly. Halling had stopped moving as much and it had clearly been noticed. Halling quickly started up the rocking and bouncing combination again, but Aki didn't look convinced this time.

"Let me take him," Massa suggested, his dark hands coming into Halling's view of the boy. "Nothing will stop him now."

Halling handed the boy over to his father, the grumpy baby cries building in volume and intensity through the exchange. Massa made soothing noises to Aki and did the same rocking bouncing action, which seemed only to help a little.

Opposite Massa, Oneakka reached across to Seeal's former chair, picked up her jacket and then held it up and out from the table. Seeal abruptly appeared into view and took her forgotten clothing with a small comment that Halling couldn't hear over Aki' cries.

"I think I need to start walking," Massa decided as he started to get up with Aki. "I will see you both tomorrow for first meal?"

"Yes," Halling replied. "Sleep well," he suggested hopefully for both Massa and Aki.

"We shall see," Massa replied over Aki' crying and then headed away, following in Seeal's wake.

Halling watched Massa moving through the mostly empty tables and chairs, only to spot Maja entering the canteen as Seeal exited.

Halling sat up straighter, watching as Maja glanced around the canteen, her gaze pausing on the evening's food selection, but then moved on towards him. Her hunger ignored for now, the joint Security Lead of the Facility started through the tables, passing Massa and Aki on her way.

"Maja's here," Halling informed Oneakka without looking round, instead keeping his gaze on Maja, assessing as best he could as to whether she was bringing good news or otherwise.

"Honoured Elite," Maja greeted them as she reached their table. "Edfu informed me that you asked for any updates on the Amduat situation."

"Anything new?" Oneakka asked.

"Station 1641 has reported that their scout bot's communications have improved, as the yet unexplained radiation has dissipated somewhat, but the bot cannot proceed any further without losing contact."

"A recon mission then?" Oneakka guessed.

Maja nodded. "Station 1641 are programming the scout bot as we speak – it'll run a preset course further out towards Amduat, moving in close enough to scan the region far more effectively, but they will have to wait for its return to communication range to receive the data."

"Understood," Halling replied.

"If Amduat's coms systems are able to reach the bot," Maja continued, "they may be able to use the bot as a jump point for communications with Station 1641."

As long as everyone was well on Amduat.

"Have they given a time estimate for the bot's mission?" Oneakka asked.

Maja shifted her gaze to Oneakka. "The bot will have to navigate some difficult stellar terrain in a couple of points, but, all being well, the bot may return by end of tomorrow."

More waiting.

"Edfu or I will report anything else that we hear until that time," Maja stated.

"Thank you," Halling nodded.

She nodded back. "Honoured Elite," she said to them and then moved away.

Halling let out a heavy breath. He felt deeply tired again, more now than before.

The waiting would be continuing then.

"We'll hear soon," Oneakka optimistically predicted from across the table.

Halling simply nodded.

"One way or another," Oneakka added more grimly.

"I think then I'll retire to my quarters and get some sleep," Halling decided and stood up from his chair, his legs slightly stiff from the sparring.

"Okay," Oneakka replied, but there was a tone to his voice that suggested that he was worrying again.

"Wake me if you hear anything," Halling asked, it occurring to him that Oneakka might chose to keep uneventful news to himself to ensure that Halling slept through the night. Like he was little Aki needing care.

"I will," Oneakka agreed but he was looking off towards the empty canteen's exit with a slight frown.

00000

Teyla could not recall having spoken for so many hours in a day. Since the moment she had arrived in Atlantis she had been making polite conversation, answering questions and asking them. Everyone in Atlantis appeared ready to ask questions of her, which was pleasing in seeing how invested the people of Earth were about engaging with Elite and Alliance now. Perhaps it was also a reaction to the weeks long Conference on Athos and the open flow of conversation and discussion which had allowed the doors to open. Whatever the cause, she had found herself engaged in almost constant conversation since her arrival in the city.

Following her and Ketra's visit to Atlantis' Healing Bay – no, the "Infirmary", that was the proper name here. She needed to remember to start using the correct terms during her stays here. Though, the term 'Mess Hall' seemed somewhat strange to her, and she made a mental note to ask John again as to why his people would describe the place they eat as being related to mess. After her visit to the Infirmary, she had enjoyed a pleasant enough walk along one of the slightly windswept piers of Atlantis. Mr Woolsey and Professor Morgan had accompanied her and John, clearly eager to speak with her alone following the earlier trade meeting.

The two men had asked many questions about the Elite and how her fellow colleagues reached a consensus on important decisions and how they worked with the Alliance Military. In turn, she had asked about the structure of the IOA and its oversight over Atlantis. It had been an interesting and careful conversation on both sides, though John had remained mostly out of the discussion. Instead, he had kindly focused on watching over Ketra as they walked. Ketra had been rather cautious at first, but had started to explore the ledges and rises of the pier's structure with far more interest.

Following the walk, they had joined the others gathering for a banquet style meal held in her and Si' honour. The Leads of all of Atlantis' departments had attended, filling the sides of the long table. Si had selected to sit further down one side of the banquet table, sitting with some of the warriors he had met and sparred with through most of the day, as well as closer to Colonels Caldwell and Ellis. She knew that Si was intently curious about Atlantis and Earth's approach to battle and their long term plans in this galaxy. Assuming that the terms of trade was taken up by Atlantis, it would be important that they were a constructive force in assisting to help defeat the Wraith.

Leaving Si to such discussions, she had instead sat with the IOA representatives, Colonel Carter and General O'Neill; and so the conversations had continued all through the meal. It was worth the work though, for she had felt she was gaining some mutual respect with the mostly male members of Atlantis and the IOA representatives.

She was determined to properly embrace her role as John's Political Wife and Ambassador for the Elite and for Father and their people. In all his visits in Alliance space, John had always been approachable and polite, open to questions and always ready to share knowledge; so she planned to follow his example. She had answered all the questions she could and had asked all the questions she could think of in turn, working to build further understanding and mutual interest with those from Earth. Such soft talkative ways were not skills that she normally deployed in her Elite work, but she found that the approach came somewhat naturally, presumably from having spent so many years around Father and Elkaska. She had even caught herself saying things that she knew Father would say, and she had taken any opportunities to discuss considerations of trade in the Alliance, knowing Elkaska would be pleased.

In all, it had felt like a very satisfying and pleasing day. Though, somewhat tiring. So, it was with some relief for her when Mr Woolsey had stood and made a speech, thanking everyone for attending and extolling the virtues of the new contract. Afterwards, Colonel Carter had made a short speech welcoming Teyla and Si, and then reflected on the possible victorious days ahead of combined work to free the galaxy from the Wraith. Father would have thoroughly enjoyed the banquet and the words shared.

Colonel Carter had then thanked everyone anew and called an end to the banquet. Fortunately then the female City Lead had suggested that she accompany them on their walk back to their quarters, heralding the end of the long talkative day.

It was quite a pleasing walk back to the quarters, moving alongside Colonel Carter, Si and John walking behind them, and Ketra padding along beside John.

Ketra had spent most of the banquet on a thick pile of blankets that had been provided for her on the floor behind Teyla's chair. However, Ketra had mostly sat for the evening, watching everything with slightly anxious interest. It was rare for her to be surrounded by so many people, and especially those she did not know. John had, once again, taken it upon himself to care for Ketra while Teyla had her many conversations.

For her meal, Ketra had been provided with a sweet stew that the city's cooks had prepared for her. Apparently they had used Athosian flowers and prepared them in a mix with something called honey. Ketra had sniffed at the presented new food with some suspicion at first, but, after a brief tentative lick along the edge of the bright food bowl, she had proceeded to devour the stew in rapid speed. John had found the eagerness funny, up until Ketra had started to obsessively lick the bowl afterwards, squeaking it along the floor. John had confiscated the bowl up onto the table, but Ketra had simply stretched her long neck up and attempted to keep licking at the bowl. So, John had taken the bowl back to the kitchen, only Ketra had followed him, though probably it was the bowl that she had been following. It had taken a little while for John and Ketra to return, so she would have to ask him what had happened. Ketra had seemed more contented since then, having settled down on the blankets for the rest of the meal.

Now walking back to their quarters, Ketra still looked slightly more at ease, but was clearly still cautious about Atlantis. Hopefully it would only take a day or so for Ketra to properly relax here.

Looking up and away from Ketra padding through the Ancestral hallway, Teyla returned her attention to Colonel Carter and their conversation.

"I do hope he will visit," the blonde City Lead smiled.

"Father is very eager to visit this fabled city," Teyla replied as they walked at a gentle pace. "I believe he has chosen to wait until after my first official stay here."

Colonel Carter nodded with a smile. "I see. Should I issue an official invitation?" She asked.

"It is not expected of you, but it may encourage him to take up your offer more quickly," Teyla replied.

"Perhaps he could join you here on your next stay here," the Colonel suggested.

"I will suggest it," Teyla agreed with the plan, though she suspected that Father would be hoping to visit Atlantis far sooner than that. He had dreamed of visiting here all his life, even when Atlantis had once been considered little more than a legend. It was still a little strange for Teyla being here, walking where the Ancestors had actually walked. It made her think back to her childhood days on Athos and all the evening stories about the Ancestors. How many of those stories might actually have been true?

Teyla felt a faint brush against the back of one leg and glanced back and down to see that Ketra had pushed ahead of the men and was once again back behind Teyla's legs. Ketra glanced up with slightly worried eyes, so Teyla smiled down at her friend hoping to reassure her. Ketra glanced forward, around Teyla's legs, perhaps recognising the hallway they were in. The new quarters were just ahead, if Teyla remembered the route accurately.

"...if you do want to change anything in the week's agenda, just let me know," Colonel Carter was saying as Teyla looked back towards her.

"I am sure the agenda will be fine," Teyla assured the Colonel.

"I'm sorry that I can't join you for breakfast tomorrow," Colonel Carter added. "But, we're expecting guests in from off-world."

"You have important duties to attend to," Teyla assured her. "I entirely understand. Honoured Elite Si and I do not expect any preferential treatment during our stay."

"I'm hoping to join you both for your dinner with the IOA representatives tomorrow evening," the Colonel replied, glancing ahead.

They had reached the waiting guards outside Si' quarters and her own further down the corridor. Colonel Carter slowed to a stop and turned towards Teyla.

Teyla paused with her, though felt Ketra slightly bump into one knee as she did so. Teyla was almost certain that she heard John snigger. She glanced round, but found herself meeting Si' eyes. He lifted his chin just slightly. Years of working and fighting together, as well as a friendship built on decades together, meant that she knew immediately what he meant. He wanted to ensure that her quarters were scanned fully before she retired for bed, and no doubt they could share a quick discussion on how the day had gone. She nodded back a fraction and saw that he understood.

Teyla looked away to John, seeing that he had noticed the tiny exchange between her and Si. Teyla retuned her full attention to Colonel Carter.

"If there's anything that you need, please do not hesitate to contact me," the Colonel offered politely and with a very real looking smile.

"Thank you, Colonel Carter, for your hospitality and kindness today," Teyla replied, bowing her head slightly.

"We are really pleased to have you here," the woman replied, her manner becoming slightly more informal. "Honoured Elite," she offered and moved away, leaving John with them. Just behind John, Teyla noticed Major Lorne send her friendly smile before he turned to follow the Colonel away down the corridor.

"He'll be stationed just down the corridor," John supplied some information on the guard duties.

Teyla nodded, shifting her attention back to the corridor head and she led Si and John down towards her own quarters. The two Atlantis warriors on guard in the hallway, both nodded politely to her and Si, and she heard John exchange a few words with them as they passed.

Teyla reached the door to her quarters and waved her hand over the line of crystals. The doors slid open to reveal the room as she remembered it. Ketra pushed ahead, clearly recognising the room. Teyla followed her, aware of a weight sliding off her shoulders now that she was back here with just Si and John. Despite the relative casualness of the day, she could feel herself relax only now. She headed towards her things that she had left in here earlier, and set about removing her jacket and stunner. She had forgotten how warm the air was in Atlantis. She had removed her jacket during the meal, but decided that she would not bother wearing one again during the remaining stay. She would be more than comfortable in a simple top and trousers here.

As she checked her stunner's safety setting and set it down, she was aware of Si moving around the room, sensor pad in his hand. She had no doubt that the room was free from any surveillance equipment, but it was standard Elite procedure to check each time they returned to their quarters when off the Facility or on an Elite ship, and to then maintain a disruption field to prevent surveillance.

Behind her, she heard the doors to her quarters shut and John moving into the room. "That went well," he stated with some satisfaction, though she also heard a slight question in his voice.

She turned round to face him and the room at large; Si was leaning through a narrow door into the attached bathroom, scanning the room, and Ketra was once again snuffling at the edges of the room. Those two preoccupied, Teyla turned her attention to John.

"I think it went very well," she assured him. "You agree?" She checked.

"Yeah," he moved towards her, one shoulder lifting in that casual non-committal way he had. "No one was shouting or throwing anything."

She had to smile at that summary. "Is that how some of the meals in Atlantis can end?" She asked.

He stopped a polite distance from her, noticeably further away than when they were alone together. "You should see how things get on bingo night."

She understood it was a joke, but she was not sure of the meaning.

"It's a game, mostly played by older people," he explained. "They call out numbers and if you've got the number you-" he looked like he was confusing himself with his own explanation. "It's not important."

"Not as important as playing golf?" She guessed.

He grinned at that. "Exactly," he replied, his eyes bright and shining.

She felt a rush of affection and gratitude towards him, and not just in response to the subtle flirtation in his eyes. He had been a gentle and constant companion at her side today. During the banquet, he had not only watched over Ketra, but he'd assisted in the discussions at the table. He'd been at her side with a whispered explanation of an Earth reference, or just to add some conversation in, helping reduce some of the focus on her. He had nearly always been within earshot and had been every part the Political Husband here as he had been so effectively on Athos.

She had worried that some of the emotional awkwardness between them might become more apparent during her stay, but so far his presence had been nothing but helpful and she felt deeply grateful.

John glanced away from her. "You can scan in there too if you want," he said to Si.

Teyla glanced round to see that Si had reached the open adjoining door into John's quarters. Si nodded and disappeared through the doorway, sensor pad ahead of him.

Teyla glanced towards where Ketra had made her way around half of the room, still snuffling along the wall.

"What happened in the kitchen earlier, while you and Ketra were gone?" She asked John.

"She made more new friends in there," John replied, glancing round at Ketra too. "The two chefs still in there gave her some more of that sticky flower stew. I think she loves them now."

Teyla had to laugh at that. "She might just." She considered John a little more seriously. "I hope that I presented myself and the Elite appropriately today," she noted, hoping to gain his opinion. John would tell her honestly if she needed to alter her behaviour towards his superiors and the IOA.

John simply smiled though, his eyes sparkling again. "You were perfect," he told her, but it felt more like a compliment than a description of her manner during the meeting and banquet.

She smiled back, but she felt slightly unsure about how best to respond. She could feel the edge of awkwardness returning in the air. Why could it return so quickly and easily?

She became acutely aware that they were alone in the room, though Si was in the next room, and that her bed was right behind her knees.

She decided it was best to push on with the conversation about the day. "I was concerned not to appear too stern or aggressive," she shared with him almost abruptly.

"You were perfectly polite," John replied, though she sensed that his mood had also shifted. "You're always polite," he added quickly, appearing to be about to start babbling, as he often referred to it. It was evidence enough for her that he was also feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

He was trying to be nice to her though with his compliment, so she smiled back at him, hoping to keep the mood light and friendly. "Thank you," she told him.

"Well, you're obviously not polite when killing Wraith," he added as an afterthought.

She had to agree with that.

"Or when you're shouting," he babbled only to stop suddenly, realising the context of what he had said.

He winced dramatically, his teeth literally clenching together at his inadvertent reference to their fighting prior to their marriage. They had not spoken about those arguments for some time now, both choosing to stay away from the somewhat shameful behaviour of those heated exchanges.

She could see that he regretted his inadvertent comment, but it was said now.

A sound of boots moving on floor broke through the moment and she looked round to see that Si was stood in the adjoining doorway watching them.

"All good?" John asked Si, clearly latching onto a new conversation.

"All clear in there," Si reported to her and then switched his gaze back to John. "Why do you have a bag of metal sticks in there?" He asked.

Teyla looked to John.

"What?" John frowned at the unexpected question and started towards Si in the doorway.

"Over by the picture of the depressed man on the wall," Si pointed off into John's quarters.

"That's Johnny Cash," John explained with what sounded like exasperation as he reached Si' side and looked through into his own room. "Those are golf clubs," John explained to Si.

"The clubs are for fighting in this golf?" Si asked.

"No, it's a game; a sport really," John answered him. "You use the different clubs to hit a small ball along a pre-defined course that has a series of sand and water hazards to avoid."

"What happens at the end of the course?" Si asked.

"You putt the ball into a little hole," John answered.

"The first to do so wins?"

"Well, sort of," John explained, "there are usually 18 holes and it depends how many times each player hits the ball in order to putt the ball."

Si frowned at the strange and complicated rules.

"We've set up a driving range in the city, I'm gonna show Teyla – Elite Emmagan," John quickly corrected himself, "how to handle a club."

There was a faint pause between the two men.

"To use a club to hit a golf ball," John quickly explained further.

Si just stared back.

Teyla had to smile at Si' behaviour as she set about removing her holster and putting it with her stunner. There were two soft chairs across the room, so she headed towards one of them.

Ketra, having given up on her snuffling, padded towards her. Teyla could see that Ketra was most definitely looking tired now. As Teyla settled down into the soft Atlantis seat, Ketra sat on the floor, blinking sleepily as Teyla stroked her head and closest shoulder.

"Earth has strange sports," Si stated across the room.

"It'll make more sense when I show you how to use the clubs," John insisted.

Si, apparently happy that the sensor pad had shown nothing, was now heading towards Teyla and the empty soft chair. Teyla watched carefully as Si settled his very large muscular body down onto the somewhat small looking piece of furniture, but the chair held firm.

"So, I'll um," John uttered from the adjoining door and Teyla looked back towards him. She considered inviting him to join them, but then she did need to speak with Si alone before he left for his quarters. "I'll leave you two alone to compare notes," John stated, making the decision for her.

"Thank you, John," Teyla smiled towards him, making sure she did so that he would not continue to feel uncomfortable about having mentioned their past arguing.

He smiled back, clearly a little relieved. "I'll just be in here," he gestured towards his quarters behind him, "if you need me."

He frowned and glanced to Si.

"For any questions or help with anything" John added further. "Work related, obviously."

Teyla glanced at Si to see that he was simply looking towards John with his infamous pointed silence.

"I'll go," John decided and stepped back over the threshold into his quarters. "Night," he offered towards Teyla.

"Good night, John," Teyla replied to him before he closed the door. "Thank you for all your help today."

"Sure," John smiled as he reached out to the crystals on the other side of the door, and Teyla saw his eyes shift to Si as the door slid shut.

Teyla looked across to Si, giving him her own pointed look at his playing with John. Si shrugged his shoulders without apology. She was not concerned, for she knew Si respected John and approved of her choice of Political Husband.

Ketra let out a heavy sigh and slumped to the floor, curling herself up against Teyla's boots.

"How did the sparring sessions go?" Teyla asked Si, not having had the chance to ask how they had gone after she and Ketra had left the gym earlier.

"Good," Si reported as he settled back more comfortably on the small chair. She could tell that he was reasonably relaxed here, which told her a lot already. "A large number of their warriors attended, some from the Earth ships' crews."

"I spoke briefly with two of the warriors from the Daedalus," Teyla informed him. "They said that Colonel Caldwell had given permission for anyone to attend the gym in Atlantis while we are here."

Si nodded, clearly approving. "Most of them are skilled, some as much as Sheppard, but their more advanced fighters are called Marines."

Teyla nodded, John had mentioned them before.

"They have slightly more advanced skills," Si reported. "I still stand by my former assessment that they all still put far too much reliance on their projectile weapons."

Teyla nodded again. "Hopefully they will accept our terms of trade and energy weapons will assist them in that regard."

"They still need better training in hand-to-hand combat with Wraith," Si added, but the same was often the case for all outside of the Elite. "Colonel Carter has asked that I run training sessions starting tomorrow."

Teyla was pleased to hear that. "They value our skills," she smiled.

"If they're going to help defeat the Wraith, they need them. Did things go well in their Healing Bay?" Si asked.

"Yes," Teyla smiled. "We were able to run an Ancestor health scanner over Ketra and Atlantis' database had records of her species."

"Really?"

Teyla nodded as she reached down and stroked along Ketra's now silver coloured back. She wasn't asleep, but she was close to it.

"During the banquet this evening," Si reported, "there were a lot of questions about the Military Fleet."

Teyla looked up at him, feeling somewhat tired herself now. "I am not overly surprised," she replied. "I introduced John to many of the Fleet Commanders at the Nest System's victory celebration. Do you believe Atlantis is concerned about the Fleet's strength?"

"Possibly," Si replied, his eyes dropping to Ketra and then back up. "Their ships - the Daedalus and," he paused trying to recall the other Earth ship's name.

"Apollo," Teyla supplied.

Si nodded with recognition of the name.

"Apollo was apparently the name of an ancient god worshipped on Earth," Teyla supplied what John had told her. "Apparently he was an archer, protector, and musician," she added with a smile. John had made jokes about that combination.

Si considered that. "Apollo," Si repeated the name. "We are scheduled to tour one of the ships?" He checked.

"Yes," Teyla replied. "In two days' time, I believe. I will check the agenda Colonel Carter supplied us."

"Good," Si agreed. "I would recommend that we look to provide the same soon; perhaps a tour of the Ballista. It may help allay their fears of the Fleet," he suggested

"John has been aboard the Ballista, and he met Ronon," Teyla replied, liking the idea. "The Satedans will consider it a great honour for the Ballista to be the first Fleet ship officially shown to Atlantis."

Si nodded and looked away, taking in her quarters around them. "Are you comfortable with your quarters?" He asked, his study of the room ending on the closed adjoining door through to John's quarters, before he looked back at her.

She understood the layers to his question, and with others she might have felt a little self-conscious. Si was perhaps the wisest of any Elite she knew, and of most men she had met over the years, and she valued his opinion and his care for her.

"They are fine," she assured him, appreciating his brotherliness for her.

Si nodded, but it was a long drawn out nod as he studied her silently.

She was not overly certain what thoughts were moving behind his dark handsome eyes, but she waited for anything more he might say. If he asked her outright about her disquiet feelings at sharing quarters with John, she was not certain she could clearly express the ambivalence she felt in that regard. She liked that John was close by for her stay, but also felt a little restless as well. The sudden shift in her discussion with John only moments ago had proven that fact simply enough. She wondered how much of that exchange Si had witnessed.

"I will leave you then," Si stated and stood up, reasonably easily from the low soft chair.

Ketra snorted awake from her doze on the floor, sitting up as if an alarm had gone off.

"It is alright, Ketra," Teyla quickly reassured her as she too stood, though Si reached down and slid his large dark hand over Ketra's head. Ketra had always adored Si.

"Watch over her," Si stated, and Teyla wasn't certain whether he was speaking to her or Ketra.

"Our late meal tomorrow is with the Earth representatives," Teyla reminded him.

"The IOA," Si recalled the title.

"Yes," Teyla replied. "Though first meal will just be with John's team and General O'Neill, I believe."

Si nodded, clearly pleased with that. "I shall meet you outside our quarters when they call us tomorrow morning," he added as he moved away across her wide quarters for the door.

"I shall see you then," Teyla agreed.

"Sleep well, Teyla," he offered with a softer smile as he waved his hand over the crystals and the doors opened to the corridor outside. Teyla could see the Marine guard outside straighten and nod politely to Si and then to her as well.

"Good night, Si," she offered, and a moment later the doors shut.

And then she was alone.

Well, Ketra was with her. Teyla looked down to her companion, only to see that Ketra was moving sleepily away, heading towards the waiting large mattress of a bed set on the floor for her. With a sleepy sigh Ketra slumped down on the mattress and curled herself up.

Teyla smiled at her pet's exhaustion. She could understand it, for Teyla felt her own deep tiredness, but she also felt strangely alert as well.

She moved across to her own bed and set about quickly unpacking her things and placing her folded clothes into the drawers in the side unit near her bed. It felt a little strange to be alone in Atlantis now, after a day so full of words and people around her.

She glanced towards John's closed door.

Would he be turning in to sleep now? Or had he other duties he had to attend to before he could sleep?

She turned back to her bags and pulled out the last items, setting her pad down on the small table near the head of her bed. She pushed the empty bags under the bed for now, and found her attention drawn to the colourful blanket laid across her bed. She picked it up and shook it out, admiring the colours and design. It added some nice colour to the mostly empty room around her, and she paid it out across her plain bed.

She glanced at the time displayed on her pad, which showed both the time in Atlantis, on Athos, and Alliance standard time. She felt more than ready to retire to bed, but that edgy feeling remained.

Perhaps washing would help settle her. She picked up her large Athosian towel and bag of toiletries and headed across the room towards the bathroom door. Ketra didn't stir as she passed, so she left the dragon to sleep.

The bathroom was very clean and decorated in greens and blues. Someone had left a small vase of flowers in here as well as in the main room, which was a kind touch. She was familiar with how the Lantean showers worked here, so she shut the bathroom door and stripped off her clothes, drawing her fingers through her braids to free her hair. As she worked, she paused, aware of a scratching sound. It was coming from the door. She realised the obvious answer.

"No, Ketra," she called through the door, but then realised that the interior door was perhaps soundproof. She wrapped her towel around herself and triggered open the door.

Ketra was on the other side, pressed up close, big wide orange eyes full of worry.

"You were asleep moments ago," Teyla pointed out to her pet, stroking her hand over Ketra's head. "I will be out soon, just go back to your bed." She gently pushed Ketra back and the dragon sat down obediently.

Teyla triggered the door closed and moved towards the shower unit. The scratching started again, more aggressively this time.

Teyla sighed as she waved her hand over the crystal for the door and Ketra was once again revealed.

"I am simply taking a shower," Teyla told her. "Which I do all the time and you are perfectly fine alone."

Teyla considered leaving the bathroom door open, but then someone could enter her quarters without her hearing them and she did not want to risk that when she was naked and without a weapon. She doubted such a problem would occur here in Atlantis, but then that assassin had climbed into John's quarters that time before...

Ketra decided for her though, for the dragon pushed into the small bathroom, snuffling at the floor.

"Very well," Teyla conceded and triggered the door closed. "You will have to put up with the humidity."

She pulled off her towel, set her toiletries on the little shelf inside the shower unit and stepped over the raised edge. There was a transparent door that she closed, and she triggered on the water. It was gloriously warm and the pressure was instantly refreshing.

A light bang to her right made her look round sharply to see two lizard feet against the door and a large dragon snout pressed in-between them.

"Ketra, down!" Teyla ordered over the water. "You are not coming in _here_ with me."

Ketra's feet disappeared, but Teyla could still see Ketra's profile through the door, the dragon's head moving as if she was looking from the closed bathroom door to the shower and back.

Teyla washed quickly and, fortunately, was not interrupted again. As she stepped out of the shower, she had to push Ketra out of the way, for the dragon took up most of the space in the tiny room and clearly wanted reassurance. Ketra's eyes were still sleepy, but clearly worried too. Hopefully this separation anxiety was going to pass quickly.

As Teyla picked up her towel off the side railing, she discovered that it had been warmed through already by the railing. The warmth released the smells of Athos as she wrapped the towel around her and started to dry herself.

Mostly dry, and Ketra taking up far too much of the bathroom, Teyla triggered open the bathroom door. She took a moment to peer out first though, just in case someone had chosen to visit her quarters while she was in the shower.

Or that perhaps John had opened the adjoining door to check on her.

The quarters were empty though, and the adjoining door was shut.

Ketra padded through the bathroom door first, heading back towards her mattress with no further worries. Perhaps it was just a closed door that bothered Ketra.

Teyla headed towards her bed, but paused as she passed by the small kettle and mugs that John had organised for her in here. On impulse, she picked up the kettle and headed back into the bathroom. She was quickly able to find the button to release the top of the kettle and she added what had to be enough water into it and headed back to the table. She set the kettle back down into its holder. There was a switch on the side, so Teyla pressed it and a little red light came on. That was presumably good.

She turned back to her bed and, as she finished drying herself and pulled on her bedclothes, he could hear the kettle bringing the water slowly up to a boil. By the time it was pouring out steam and the little red button went off, she had returned to the table with the pot of loose Athosian tea she had brought with her.

She considered pulling the soft chair over, but it would be too high, so she settled down onto the floor by the low table and prepared the tea. She would have to remember to bring a pillow for her next visit, for the floor was cooler than she had expected. As the tea steeped, she rose and headed back to the bed and collected up the bright blanket. She wrapped its soft warmth around her and settled back by the tea table, settling herself.

Silence fell around her, Ketra's soft breaths barely audible across the room.

A strange sense of something stirred in Teyla's middle, something old and not felt for long time.

It took her a few moments to realise what it was, and why it was so old.

It had been a long time since she had felt homesick. Not since her first days in the Elite Training Facility having left her family.

Teyla leant forward and drew in the aromatic steam rising up from her tea, and remembered doing the same back then. Only back then she hadn't known if she would ever see her family ever again.

She was hardly alone here, hardly lost from her family now, but she felt the same old feelings stir in her middle while sat by herself in the alien city silent around her.

Ketra's breaths shifted, and Teyla looked round to see that Ketra was once again pulling her sleepy body up off her mattress. Teyla watched as Ketra padded across the quiet room to her side, and the dragon slumped down next to her.

"You are more comfortable back there," Teyla whispered quietly as she stroked Ketra's warm heavy head as it settled on his leg. Ketra didn't seem to mind though for her eyes slid shut and she let out a long and sleepy breath.

Teyla smiled, feeling oddly emotional again at the kind support of her friend. She wasn't alone, despite the feelings in her heart.

And despite the closed adjoining door across the room.

She glanced towards the door, considering the conflicting thoughts and feelings, but finally looked away back to her lone cup of tea.

00000  
TBC


	13. The Losing Streak

**Note:** Still no working internet (turns out the local demolition site cut through our cable), so I'm back at the public library. I am posting two chapters today, because I may not get access online again for the early part of this week. I hope you enjoy...

00000

 **Chapter 13 – The Losing Streak**

She liked Myrtle's. It was a good club with present but unobtrusive security, and very good music.

She had expected it to be bigger, but then it was always smart to have a smaller club rather than one that packed in customers but limited your ability to monitor and secure any problems. Myrtle's had two sections to it, the first just inside the well stationed entrance, with a small dancefloor and a raised platform, which was presumably the stage for live music, and the bar was off to the right. Off to the left, mezzanine levels looked down over the stage, and you could walk under them through a darker area full of comfortable looking booths, and then out into the far larger dancefloor beyond. Tables lined the outside of that dancefloor, which was long and narrow and was looked over by yet more mezzanine levels on both side above.

With so many levels above, Seeal guessed that there were security eyes on each, and that there were likely a few hidden doors behind the darkly coloured walls of the club. The atmosphere was very relaxed and almost cheerful though, which was only added to by the music playing out through small speakers set up overhead. Seeal suspected that the music was clearly specifically chosen for its uplifting beat and regular rhythm to which anyone could dance along. This wasn't the type of place that played angry Satedan crescendo music.

Heading under the mezzanine levels and back out across the small dance floor, Seeal had to admire the place. In charge of the next round of drinks - which were half price for Elite staff – she and Toj were headed back to the bar. As they moved around the smaller dancefloor, Seeal locked eyes with a security woman stood to one side, quietly watching everyone enjoying their evening.

It had been pretty clear to Seeal that she had been identified by security within seconds of joining the queue to enter Myrtle's. Every customer entering Myrtle's had to have a face-to-face moment with the security guard on the door, who looked everyone in the eye and reminded them quickly of the club's policy of no weapons and no trouble. Customers then stepped through a sensor embedded doorway and into the club. When Seeal had stepped forward for her turn with the security guard, he had taken a little longer in his direct stare, making it clear that they all knew who she was. He then repeated his same spiel, but had put emphasis on certain words just for her. She had happily agreed, rather approving of the security.

It felt kind of ironic and amusing to think that the Security Lead here probably had stationed extra eyes on her tonight. They had nothing to worry about from her though; she was here to enjoy herself. Presumably this was somewhere where she could actually relax and not have to worry about causing any 'trouble'.

As she walked with Toj, she considered the other customers around her. Being a mostly Military clientele didn't mean they were unlikely to make trouble in her experience, if anything it was perhaps more likely. There was plenty of tough looking types, all muscle and short haircuts, but she couldn't even hear a raised voice over the music. Normally, even with average and normal well-behaved people, adding alcohol, lowered inhibitions, and provocatively dressed people together usually you got some trouble. Instead, Seeal suspected that Myrtle's was considered a place to be 'seen', having an exclusivity that meant that you felt more important if you came here, which might explain the military uniforms for a night out.

As she and Toj navigated the edge of the dancefloor, moving close to the entrance, she could see the part-Satedan checking out a group of females just entering. It was likely that she would be the one ordering the drinks for the others, because Toj had a tendency to get distracted, either by females or by spotting someone he knew in a club. For now though, he kept on leading the way to the bar.

The long dark wooden bar top stretched a good length along the club wall, but it was still already lined with waiting customers. Seeal leant one elbow on the bar and considered Myrtle's.

"Good place," she summarised loudly to Toj over the music.

Toj, leaning next to her, grinned proudly. "Only the best come here," he declared.

"Then why are we here?" She joked.

Toj frowned. "Because we work for the Elite," he seemed to think she needed reminding. He wasn't always good with understanding sarcasm, but then Satedans could be that way. Literal people. Apparently that part of the Satedan genetics was part of Toj's quarter dose.

"Oh yes, I forgot," she replied sarcastically, and probably not loud enough for him to hear in here. He was distracted again anyway, looking off to his left.

Seeal glanced in that direction to see that the group of females that just arrived were moving further into the club, all decked out in revealing outfits that showed off their military toned abs, arms, and narrow waists. Toj grinned at them with clear anticipation.

Seeal suspected he had already forgotten that she existed. He was still sporting two slightly bruised eyes, but they just made him look more Satedan. According to Toj, that fact alone was a "winner every time".

Seeal turned away from the overt mating behaviour, struggling not to roll her eyes, and focused her own attention on trying to attract the closest barman's attention. He was busy filling three trays worth of drinks for a large group taking up most of the bar's space.

Seeal sighed – she had a long wait, especially as the toned-abs brigade had all leant against the other end of the bar. Toj was already heading in their direction.

"Nice seeing you," Seeal called at his retreating back.

At least she had some good music to move to while she waited for the barman. She mentally ran through the drinks everyone wanted.

A new barman slid in behind the bar, another sign of a good Lead watching everything and sending in staff when needed on the busy bar. The new barman set about serving two buxom females practically bent over the bar to flirt with him.

A large shoulder slid into Seeal's view and a large, slimy smiling face followed it.

"Hello there," the man grinned at her, presumably thinking that he was looking flirtatious. He was very wrong.

"Hello," she replied politely.

"So, you're Elite crew, are you?" He said next, the cadence of his words seeming seductive, but his overt up and down study of her was just plain gross. She wished she hadn't worn quite such a low cut top this evening.

"No," she replied honestly.

His leering froze. "I thought I saw you come in with some of the Sythus crew?" He asked, as if he was trying to prove her wrong.

"I came with them, but I'm not from the Sythus," she informed him.

"You from the Hastos Son then?" He asked next, naming the other Elite battleship.

"Nope," she responded with a smile.

"Oh," he frowned, clearly disappointed and consequently no longer interested in her.

She waited for him to leave.

He glanced aside, uncomfortable.

"You can go now," Seeal told him.

He looked relieved and moved away.

Male brains.

She turned fully towards the bar, leaning both her forearms on it, and found her own reflection looking back at her. A mirrored back to a bar was always wise in these places – it helped security see what people were doing when their backs were turned while stood at the bar. Plus, it also added light into the often dark corners where bars were placed away from dancefloors and meeting areas.

She realised how low her top really was when she leant forward. She stood upright a bit more and quickly tugged up the front of the top. She didn't want everyone to see everything. She wasn't overly used to showing so much skin. Not that it wasn't a good idea in these warm clubs.

The new barman had moved onto someone else along the bar, and the first one was still working on the big group's multitude of drinks. That he was laughing and joking with the group wasn't going to speed up his work.

Seeal looked the other way to see how Toj was doing with his latest conquest. Only, her eyes fell on the man leaning on the bar just down from her.

She looked away and sighed.

She didn't need this.

Her gaze was already moving to the reflection of the man in the mirror opposite, assessing more closely what she'd seen in her brief glance.

Whoever he was, he had some bad fashion sense considering whatever he was up to. A bright yellow jacket was never a good look if you were trying to avoid attention. His hair was tidy though, and he was clean-shaven. His body language was mainly controlled, but, to her, the nervousness just blared out from every pore far louder than the music.

She glanced back towards him along the bar and reached out to pull out one of the many paper napkins available in large stacks along the bar. The move allowed her to shift slightly closer to Yellow Jacket. He glanced at her movement and then away uninterested. It had been a sharp quick nervous reaction though.

She leant both elbows back on the bar and pretended to wipe her nose with the napkin, and glanced at him again out the corner of her eyes.

He had both his hands on the bar and was tapping them nervously against the wooden surface. Just on the inside of one of his fingers was a crudely drawn flower.

Seeal looked away and let out a loud annoyed breath.

She scrunched up the napkin and dumped it onto the bar top.

She was starting to think perhaps she was cursed.

A night out with no problems was all she had wanted, but no, life just kept throwing these things at her.

She looked over her shoulder back towards the main security presence at the entrance to the club. No one seemed to be actively watching the bar, which she thought was unwise. Or maybe one of the barmen was actually a security member, either way, no one seemed to be paying Yellow Jacket any obvious attention.

She looked back to her reflection and considered Yellow Jacket again. He was glancing around, doing it carefully in a way that was reasonably subtle for someone stood at a bar who could be bored waiting. In a busy place like this, with so many people, he probably didn't look all that much like trouble.

The flower on the inside of his finger said differently. He was a Quantum dealer.

She had thought Khor had killed off all of the petal clan distributors, but clearly not. She had heard they worked inside the Alliance, so probably that part of the clan was still functional.

She looked back towards the club's door and played through the best thing to do.

She had approved of the club's security until now. There should be a proper presence at the bar, or at least nearer to it. Of course, there was security at the door, then stationed at places further into the club, so it wasn't that anyone could get out unstopped, but clearly Yellow Jacket was expecting to meet with someone. He wasn't here just to have a dance and put his former wayward years of drug distribution behind him.

Decision made, Seeal pushed away from the bar and headed towards the closest security guard.

The dark skinned seriously intense looking female clocked Seeal's approach. The club's entrance to one side and the main staircase up to the mezzanine levels on her other side, the woman had a good station.

Seeal smiled politely as she approached the woman, who watched her intently.

"Hi, you may want to keep an eye on the guy in the yellow jacket at the bar," Seeal told her.

"Up the stairs," the woman told Seeal.

Seeal frowned. "Sorry?"

"Our Lead is up the stairs," the woman pointed one long finger to the staircase. "You've got anything to say, it goes to him."

Okay.

Well, she'd started this, so she might as well see it through; besides, she was more than a little curious to meet the Security Lead of this place. As she climbed the stairs, she noticed that Madesh had appeared by the small dancefloor, clearly having been on his way to join her and Toj at the bar. He had seen her though and was looking up at her with a worried look. She smiled down at him, hopefully looking relaxed and encouraging. She gestured to him to say that she would be back soon. His worried look continued though as she reached the first mezzanine level.

The music was far quieter up here, and a security guard stood just to the side. He pointed off into the tabled area. Seeal obediently did as she was told and headed along the railing past several empty tables.

She spotted the Security Lead instantly. He was clearly ex-military and was stood at the railing with the best view out from the mezzanine level to the dancefloor and entrance below. As Seeal approached him, he turned and faced her, arms crossed.

She stopped a polite distance from him. "I'm getting that you know who I am."

"I know _exactly_ who you are," he confirmed without any emotional at all.

"Then you know that when I tell you that you need to keep an eye on the guy in the yellow jacket down at the bar, then that opinion comes with some weight," she stated.

"Someone you know?" He asked.

"No," Seeal shook her head. "But he's clearly here for something he's hiding, plus he's wearing the petal clan sign, so probably here to meet a customer or another dealer."

The Lead considered her for a second. Seeal understood the look; she'd used it plenty.

"Understood," he replied.

Silence followed.

"O-kay," Seeal had expected a little more resistance than that.

"Thank you for the information," he said and gestured back the way she had come.

It wasn't the reaction she had expected, but she took the dismissal, turning away without looking back at the Lead. "Glad to help," she muttered as she moved away. She hadn't even gotten his name, but she'd done her duty. She'd reported someone untrustworthy and it wasn't her responsibility to do anything else.

This was a good thing – no brawls involved.

She glanced back as she reached the staircase. The Lead was still watching her.

She made her way back down the stairs to where Madesh was anxiously waiting for her.

"What happened?" He demanded as soon as she reached him.

"Nothing," she reassured him as they moved back across the club, Madesh clearly leading them away from the dancefloor and the bar. "We still need drinks," she pointed out.

"What happened?" Madesh asked her, his hand a warm touch on her arm guiding her away from the bar's direction, to one side near a booth.

"I just reported a suspicious person to security," she informed him.

"Who?" Madesh asked as he looked around.

"Don't go making a scene," Seeal was the one to pull at his arm now to stop him glaring round at everyone. "I'm guessing he's just a small time dealer looking for a sale."

"Security here will deal with it," Madesh told her the obvious.

"I'm sure they can," Seeal agreed. She noticed that the intense security woman from before was watching them. "Maybe we should go back to the others."

"Good idea," Madesh readily agreed.

Seeal led the way back through the booths to the larger dancefloor beyond to where the rest of their group had claimed several tables for the night.

Fleta and Numfar were still dancing with some new 'friends', while Naevaeh and Ru were talking at the table. Seeal reached them and sat down, annoyed that Madesh seemed to wait for her to sit first, like she might run off or something.

"What happened to the drinks?" Naevah asked loudly over the music.

"It's too busy up there," Seeal quickly made the excuse. "Toj is still there."

"We'll never get drinks if he's in charge of getting them," Nevaeh grinned, but she didn't look too upset.

Madesh leant closer. "Do you think we should leave?"

Seeal frowned at him. "Why? I did nothing wrong."

"Uh oh," Nevaeh grinned. "What happened?"

"Nothing," Seeal insisted. "Though Toj looks like he's found some military females to talk to."

"Typical," Nevaeh nodded as she grinned off towards where Numfar was working a crazy set of dance moves.

Madesh and Ru were talking, their conversation inaudible to her over the music.

Seeal leant towards Nevaeh. "Do you believe someone can be cursed?" She asked idly.

Nevaeh considered the question with some seriousness. "I believe in winning streaks, so presumably there's an opposite."

"A losing streak?" Seeal asked and Nevaeh shrugged.

Seeal wasn't certain about that – in her experience, if someone was having a losing streak it was because the gambling house was controlling the game.

"Uh oh," Nevaeh said, pointing off to the right behind Seeal's back.

Seeal looked round to see one of the club's security looking at her from a metre or so away. Having Seeal's attention, the man pointed up the closest staircase that went up to the mezzanine levels overlooking this side of the club.

"What's going on?" Ru asked loudly and worriedly across the table.

"Nothing important," Seeal reassured them as she stood up. "I just pointed out someone to security. They probably want to ask me something about it."

All three faces at the table looked less than convinced.

"It's nothing," Seeal smiled at them and headed towards the indicated flight of stairs, hoping that she was right.

What more could they want? She'd pointed out Yellow Jacket. If the Security Lead had wanted more then why hadn't he asked when she had met with him? Or maybe they had grabbed Yellow Jacket already and wanted her to make a statement?

These stairs were far narrower up to the first level this side of the club, and there were far more tables. Another security member was stationed at the top of the stairs, but he pointed up to the next level, so Seeal obediently climbed another set of stairs, only for the guard on that level to tell her to go up another two flights of stairs.

The staircases grew narrower and the levels quieter the higher she went, and, finally, she arrived on the top mezzanine, four levels up. The level was completely empty. There were only a few tables up here, so she suspected this top level was for only the most privileged.

Or perhaps where they roughed up troublesome people before throwing them out?

There was a single guard up here, and he simply pointed to the middle table set well back from the railing. Seeal headed to the empty table. The seats were far larger and more comfortable up here, and she settled herself as casually as she could at the table by herself. As she sat, she gently tested the table and, sure enough, it was not bolted down. They were bolted to the floor downstairs, but up here they could be moved around. Or be free to be turned over to provide cover in a fire-fight maybe? There was no mezzanine level on the other side of the gulf that looked down over the dancefloor, so nowhere to escape that way.

The walls were painted in a deep dark red and the small lights set around the level were surrounded by elaborate glass shapes that gave the lighting a soft glow. The carpet felt thick under her boots as well. Maybe it made it easier to soak up the blood?

A door opened at the far end of the empty level, confirming her prediction that there were hidden doors. The door had been well concealed, painted to simply be part of the walls. She wondered how much more there was of the club that the public never saw. Most likely a Security monitoring station at least.

She couldn't see anything like that beyond the door as it opened though, and only one man stepped through.

Seeal had never been overly taken with physical beauty, but the man who emerged, and was now walking towards her, was probably the most handsome man she had ever seen.

He was of an average height, with dark short spiky hair, an excessively well proportioned square face, and a strong jawline lightly darkened with well groomed stubble. He wore a bright crisp white shirt with buttons down the front, though most of them were undone revealing his tanned toned chest and a triangle of dark chest hair. The bottom of the shirt was tucked into dark grey trousers that tightly hugged his well shaped hips and thighs. Seeal pulled her eyes from the movement of his thighs obvious through the trousers and lifted her eyes up to his bright dark eyes and the full lipped handsome smile.

"Seeal," the man's smile widened as he approached, and her name had never sounded so attractive to her own ears. "I am _very_ pleased to see _you_ ," he all but purred as he arrived at the table and sat down directly across from her.

Wow, he smelt good too. It was clearly an artificial scent, but it was still very good.

Seeal frowned at the stunningly handsome man. "Do I know you?" She asked, though she knew without a doubt that she had never met this man before. His presence was a memorable shock to the system and she felt warm in places she really shouldn't.

Clearly he was something very dangerous.

He lifted his sculpted dark eyebrows and smiled at her again. "I'm Myrtle," he announced.

She blinked. "As in the owner of this place?"

He nodded, his eyes moving over her openly.

"The ex-Elite warrior Myrtle?" She checked again.

"That's me," he smiled again, his eyes full of the clear awareness of his effect on women. Probably on men too.

Seeal leant back slightly in her seat, the tiny extra distance somehow helpful against this bizarre man. "You were an Elite warrior?"

"Would this help?" He asked, his voice rich and deep, as he loosened the ends of his white crisp sleeves and began rolling the fabric back. The movements revealed long twisting black tattoos, as worn by Elite. So, he wasn't just Elite trained, he had been in action long enough to gain markings.

He took his time rolling up his sleeves, revealing more of his nicely shaped forearms with each movement.

"I have heard a lot about you, Seeal," he told her in that deep voice. But, it wasn't just the depth of the timbre that caught at her attention, but the sexual way he said it.

"I've heard nothing about you," she countered. "Except what you were," she gestured to his forearm tattoos that were now fully revealed, though she noted that one tattoo appeared to continue up around his elbow out of view, but she didn't need to see anymore.

If only.

She blinked at the stupid hormonal reaction.

"Myrtle is a rather feminine name," she found herself provoking him.

"It's my second name, and I prefer to use it rather than Tow," he smiled.

"Tow Myrtle?" She put his name together.

"More masculine for you?"

She pretended to consider it. "Nice club you have here."

"You approve?"

"Security could do with a few changes," Seeal considered.

Myrtle rested his perfectly shaped hands on the table. "Do you miss Dreamstation, Seeal?"

"Sometimes," she answered quickly, recognising the question had been designed to throw her and provoke a reaction.

"Is it the violence you miss?" He asked.

She frowned at that. "Hardly."

"I only ask because of your history as a pit fighter."

She held still at that and reconsidered him.

Myrtle saw the change in her and his eyebrows lifted in a silent question.

"Interesting," she pondered out loud.

"Thank you," Myrtle smiled, purposefully misunderstanding her.

She looked at his forearms again, assessing the tattoos. There had to be a good few markings mixed together there, which meant several Queens had fallen at his hands. She had to wonder how many Queens were left out there thanks to the Elite's successful years. How fast could the Wraith replace Queens?

"You're supposed to be a _retired_ Elite," she told him.

"I am," he answered, but some of his playfulness dimmed. He didn't like that he had had to retire. She imagined most Elite would hate to retreat from their war.

"You're very young to retire, and you don't seem to be physically disabled in anyway," Seeal considered him out loud.

"I am very able," Myrtle informed her suggestively.

"You don't appear to be missing any limbs," she leant to one side to look under the table towards his lower legs below those shapely thighs, but it was difficult to tell if one was a prosthetic replacement.

"All present and accounted for," he told her.

"So, you must have retired for some other reason," she considered his complexion. "You look healthy."

"It's nice of you to notice."

"And you don't appear to show any other obvious indications of trauma," she kept up her verbal assessment and he shook his head. "So, either you were injured in some other way or it's a disease of some sort that stopped you."

He did look the picture of good health and he had walked in here without any appearance of pain or any other indication of something wrong with him. "Obviously something chronic or you would have returned to duty," she surmised.

He sat back in his chair. "Keep going."

"A genetic condition?" She guessed.

"No," he shook his head.

She frowned at him, trying to put together enough pieces.

He grinned at her.

She watched him and took a breath to answer. His eyes lowered to her lips and she realised she had already noticed a clue.

"You're deaf," she deduced. He had looked at her mouth a lot, but she'd thought it part of his seductive routine.

"Well done," he smiled. "I'm mostly deaf," he corrected. "I was on a Fleet ship that exploded in space, permanently damaged my ears."

"How did you survive a ship blowing up in space?" She asked incredulous.

"How did you not fall through the blown apart side of the Sythus?" He countered.

"See, there you go making me question things again," she told him. "How would you know about that if you're a _retired_ Elite?"

"I have many friends who are still Elite," Myrtle answered her. "Many of them come here and I've heard stories about you."

Seeal shook her head. "I don't think that's right. And I don't think Elite who retire leave the military fold and set up a club."

Myrtle pulled a hurt expression, but it was followed by with another sparkling grin. "Ex-Elite are not allowed to start a business?"

"From what I've seen in the Facility, most retired warriors work for the Elite still, even with severe injuries. Yet, you're here...in a place where the most prestigious and famous come to relax and talk with each other." She let the obvious point hang in the air.

Myrtle didn't answer that.

"I think this is the kind of place where people can talk and there's that warning over the entrance about surveillance recording in the club," she considered.

"I don't spy on people," Myrtle told her.

"But you probably find out things, notice who spends time with whom, and pass those observations along to the Elite. Perhaps even work as a quiet associate between parties."

Myrtle smiled at her.

"I think you still work for the Elite," she told him, "or at least part of the time while you run your business. And that's why you know about me – you read all the Elite reports. Probably also because you miss the action. Tell me, do _you_ miss the violence?"

Myrtle scratched at his stubbled jaw and looked away, and then returned his sultry smile to her like a weight. "I can see that everything I've heard, and read, about you is absolutely accurate."

She smiled back, pleased that he had confirmed her theory.

"What I don't understand is why you're working for us," Myrtle asked. "With your skills, you could work anywhere. You could start up your own club, your own security business even. Why are you in the Facility?"

"Because of the project," she answered. "Once that job is over, I don't know what I'll do next. Maybe I will start up a club; it seems to do good business for you."

He considered her for a quiet moment, his dark seductive eyes moving over her in ways that made those certain places feel warm again.

Myrtle leant forward. "As someone who is now a serious fan of yours," he paused to smile. There was a little dimple in one of his cheeks. She made sure not to look at that again.

"Might I offer some advice," he continued. "A lot of females have been lured in by the fierce and heartbroken warrior that is our Oneakka."

Seeal felt her entire attitude cool instantly at the abruptly challenging subject.

"But he isn't what he appears to be," Myrtle added.

She had already leant that lesson. Oneakka might be a difficult, stubborn, and deadly warrior, but he was also an academic and clearly played into his appearance of being just single-minded and aggressive.

"They are only ever disappointed and hurt by his disinterest," Myrtle concluded.

She schooled her features and body language as she fixed her gaze on Myrtle.

"From my experience," she told him sternly, "no Elite is what they appear to be, you being a good example. I have no interest in being lured anywhere, by _anyone_ ," she made sure to stress that to include Myrtle's seductive behaviour as well as to his less than subtle reference to Oneakka.

Myrtle's expression shifted to show that he had understood.

"If there are females out there who think they can heal broken hearts," she continued, "then that's their own stupid business. I prefer to live in reality."

"I see," Myrtle replied as he sat back in his seat. "Then I apologise for the misunderstanding."

"I imagine it's difficult for _you_ to comprehend, but not everything people do relates to sex," Seeal told him.

"It can if you would like it to," he suggested with what was a very flirtatious lifting of his wide lips and darkened eyes.

Seeal felt oddly thrown by the unabashed offer even though everything he had said so far had already been an obvious attempt to seduce.

His eyes moved over her face and dipped down to her low cut top. She held still under his approving assessment, and, for just a tiny moment, considered taking up his offer.

Why not? She was a free woman and she could enjoy a male without any constriction. He was an Elite warrior too. Well, a partially retired one. And he was unbelievably handsome...

"I'll consider it," she told him, but already knew the decision had been made.

She saw that Myrtle did too.

A line had been drawn back in the Facility, but, she realised with a sudden drop of her heart, she wasn't ready to step away from that line just yet. There was no future prospect with Oneakka, but still...it didn't feel right to sleep with one of his fellow Elite.

"Keep me on your list," Myrtle broke into her inner realisations, his smile relaxed and unaffected by her turning him down. "And for the tip you provided to my security today, you and your friends can have free entrance and drinks for your next visit."

She smiled at that.

"And you should do that more," Myrtle added.

"Report criminals?" She asked, because it felt like that was all she had been doing for months now.

"Show an honest smile," Myrtle replied as he stood up from his chair. "It suits you."

No one had ever complimented her on her smile before. She'd frightened plenty of scum with it before, but not been complimented on it.

"Enjoy the rest of your evening, Seeal," Myrtle offered as he moved away. "I look forward to your next visit," he winked at her over his shoulder.

00000  
TBC


	14. The Weakness

**Chapter 14 – The Weakness**

He'd showered, tidied his quarters, and changed into a different bed-shirt, as the other one had smelt a little off. He'd read some 'War and Peace', checked his emails, and rechecked the agenda for tomorrow.

None of it had helped.

Two games of Solitaire on his laptop hadn't helped either.

He switched off the computer, set it on the side and turned off the last small light. As if the darkness was going to help – he clearly wasn't going to fall asleep any time soon.

If he could just stop looking towards the closed door to Teyla's quarters then maybe he'd actually be able to relax for a bit.

Yeah, that clearly wasn't going to happen either. His gaze just kept returning to the closed door like an obsession. He'd missed his chance really; he should have knocked on her door maybe half an hour after he'd left her with Si. Then it would have made sense, just putting his head round the door to say goodnight.

Now, a whole hour and a half had gone by, so she'd probably be in bed and it would be weird saying hi now. Wouldn't it?

He didn't want to wake her...or be tempted to do something he had decided would be stupid. They were friends and things had been good between them – no shouting.

He winced at the stupid comment he'd made to her earlier, and with Si in hearing distance. He hadn't meant to reference past fights, but it had just popped out of his mouth.

"Stupid John," he muttered into the silent darkness.

She hadn't appeared to be upset about it, though she had looked uncomfortable. Great, good move of his!

Still, it felt wrong not to just check on her. It was her first night here, alone in her room, well apart from Ketra being in there with her. And the fact that she was Honoured Elite Emmagan who'd probably fallen asleep in warzones or Wraith Hives before. The comfortable bed and safe walls of Atlantis could hardly be that much of a worry to her. Besides, she'd stayed here before...

Nope, he didn't need to start remembering her last visit here during the big Non-Aggression Treaty talks. He'd had so much fun with her around during that last stay – they'd worked every excuse possible to visit each other's quarters, and they'd sneaked her into his quarters most nights, sharing his bed together... Sure, the political talks had all been about trying to stop a war between Atlantis and the Alliance, there'd been that a near riot in the city, and a Genii assassin had climbed in through his balcony door to murder him in his sleep; but he still remembered the time fondly because he'd spent most of it all with Teyla.

And maybe because it had been the last real time that they'd been completely happy and relaxed with each other.

A lot had changed since then.

Some of the changes were good though. Things really did seem to be positive with the Alliance because of the Political Marriage, and the Elite were making a real sweet trade offer. The future looked brighter because of their marriage.

He still occasionally had a nightmare where she'd turned down his marriage offer and had chosen the Terminator-looking Genii General Maloo instead. In those dreams, the Elite ended up getting all chummy with the Genii and had turned on Atlantis. And Teyla was spending her nights in Maloo's bed.

This was stupid; he should just knock on her door and check she was okay. Then, maybe, he'd get some sleep.

A faint scratching sound cut through his obsessive thoughts. For a brief second, he found himself worrying if another assassin was breaking in like last time! But that was stupid because he didn't even have a balcony off these new quarters.

The scratching started again and this time the direction was obvious – Teyla's door. John knew instantly who it was scratching at his door, and the relief had him snapping up from his bed to use the excuse to finally open the door.

He swept his hand over the crystals and the adjoining door slid back to reveal Ketra, one clawed foot raised to paw at his doorframe.

"Ketra!" Teyla was in the middle of calling to the dragon.

"Hey, Ketra," John smiled down at the orange eyes looking up at him, and he reached out to stroke the velvety alien lizard's skin.

"John, I am sorry," Teyla offered as she appeared into view from the right, lit prettily by the one lamp on by her bed. "She seems so very restless this evening."

"Don't worry about it," John smiled, so pleased to finally have the door open he felt like hugging Ketra for giving him the opportunity.

"I am sorry," Teyla repeated as she moved towards him and Ketra. She was dressed in nice dark blue PJs, which he hadn't seen before. They fitted her nicely, somehow being loose and comfy, but also still hugging her in the all the right places.

She was also barefooted, something he rarely saw anymore. Without her usual boots, she was down to her natural petite height again. He remembered that she fitted in just right against his chest when she was barefoot.

She stopped on the other side of Ketra and John had to work on pulling his eyes up from her bare golden toes and new flattering bedclothes.

"She is not usually like this in new places," Teyla frowned down at her Wraith-killing pet.

"Maybe the place smells strange to her or something," John suggested off the top of his head, vividly aware of a sweet Athosian scent in the air now Teyla was stood close by. Her shower wash stuff. She'd had a shower then...all naked...

"Perhaps," Teyla nodded, and a little too willingly at the Atlantis smell suggestion.

"You don't think it smells bad here do you?" He made sure to check.

She lifted her eyes up from Ketra to meet his across the short few feet between them, and smiled at him. It was a nice large smile. It was her first natural smile all day.

"Not at all," she assured him. "I like the scent of the sea in the air here."

"Good," he smiled back. Ketra's weight pressed slightly against the outside of his leg, so he glanced down and scratched around one large dragon ear. Ketra leant further against him for a beat, but then stretched her neck around his legs, taking an interesting in his quarters behind him.

"Ketra, not in there," Teyla warned, seeing Ketra's intentions.

"It's alright," John assured her. "She can look around if she wants." He realised that he kind of meant Teyla as well as Ketra.

"Perhaps if she can look around your quarters she will stop scratching at your door," Teyla suggested.

"Sure," John moved aside a little, giving Ketra space to pass by him. She instantly took the unspoken offer and hurried into his quarters, barging against his legs slightly in her eagerness.

"Careful, Ketra!" Teyla called.

"There's not much she can damage in there," John hoped that was true enough.

With once quick glance at Ketra, who had her large snout to the floor and was snuffling her way around his floor, he turned and focused back on Teyla. His wife.

She smiled back up at him.

The air seemed kind of...intimate...with them both in their nightclothes, him stood in her doorway.

If it had been a couple of months ago, they wouldn't have just been standing here.

"You all settled in?" John checked.

"Yes, thank you," she glanced around her. "The quarters are very nice."

John nodded, pleased. He noticed across the room behind her that a mug and the kettle had moved on the little coffee table. "The kettle work okay for you?" He indicated the table.

"Yes, I had a cup earlier," she smiled at that as she glanced round to the table and then looked back round at him. "I had thought to see if you wished to share some tea, but I thought you might have retired to bed already."

He felt absurdly happy to hear that she'd thought about knocking on his door to share some tea.

"I would have loved one," he grinned back at her. "I wasn't sure if Si had left already and then I wasn't sure if you'd gone to bed."

"Si left a while ago, but I did not want to risk disturbing you."

"You can knock on my door anytime," he told her. He hadn't meant it to sound flirtatious, but it certainly came out that way.

Both of Teyla's eyebrows rose.

"Um, you know what I mean," he frowned.

"I shall keep that under advisement," she smiled as she turned and moved away.

What had that meant exactly?

He leant forward and peered around the adjoining doorframe to watch her walk to the end of her bed, but she simply picked up the colourful blanket he'd picked out for her. She shook it out slightly and wrapped it around her shoulders. He guessed she was feeling a little cold, or was she covering up a bit in front of him?

Which reminded him...

"Look, I'm, uh, sorry about what I said earlier, in front of Si," he moved forward a step as she adjusted the blanket around one shoulder and began padding back towards him. Walking quietly on her lovely bare feet.

"It is fine, John," she smiled as she approached, still adjusting the blanket around her. It felt weirdly arousing to see her wrapping the blanket he'd picked out for her around her body.

"Believe me, Si has heard me lose my temper enough to shout before."

She really didn't seem upset by it at all. Good.

She stopped a foot or so away from him, closer than earlier. "I thought today went well," she said, repeating what she'd asked earlier.

"Definitely," he agreed immediately. She'd secured the blanket around her, but not covered her front completely, showing the lower point of her neckline. He took that as a good sign that she wasn't completely covering up.

"The temperature okay for you in here?" He checked.

"I had forgotten how warm the city can be during the day and cooler at night," she smiled. "I shall have to bring a few more blankets for my next visit."

"I found that one in our trading supplies," he gestured to the colourful wrap. "We can find some more tomorrow, if you want."

She ran her fingers along the blanket over one arm and looked up at him. "I did not realise you had chosen this for me."

He shrugged casually, but felt more than a little bit pleased with himself. "I wanted you to have something more colourful in here, more...Athosian, so you'd feel more at home."

Her smile widened, little smile lines appearing at the corner of her eyes and her cheeks looked rosier. "That is very thoughtful of you, John. Thank you."

He was certainly feeling warmer.

"If there's anything else you need, we can have a dig around the stores," he smiled back at her. Her eyes seemed darker in the half light of her quarters. Like deep dark pools that were staring up at him, looking all lovely.

She glanced away, breaking the moment. "I was thinking that perhaps a small rug on the floor beside the tea table there."

John nodded, not looking at the coffee table she was pointing to; he just looked at her. "Sure, whatever you want."

She looked back round at him, her dark eyes meeting his again.

It had been a while since he'd felt the pull between them, like there was something hot and electric in the air between them. He had to stop himself from leaning forward towards her out of pure habit. Or maybe he should...

The cautious thoughts from the past weeks reasserted themselves though as he held her gaze, and he felt the indecision hit him like a flash of cold water.

She glanced aside, breaking the moment further.

Damn it.

"Ketra!" Teyla said abruptly, and he realised that she had actually been looking away into his quarters behind him. "Get down from there!"

John looked over his shoulder to see that Ketra was up on his bed, looking like she was getting all comfortable for the night.

Ketra turned her head and looked round at them, and John could swear the dragon looked confused. It occurred to him that maybe Ketra had thought he was going to be sleeping in with Teyla, as he had used to do in her old Tjaru quarters. He remembered that Ketra had used to leave the room, usually leaving him and Teyla in her bedroom and Ketra would curl up on the rug in the next room, or sometimes on one of the couches.

"Ketra!" Teyla repeated her order more sternly now.

Ketra made an actual huffing noise that sounded like a grumpy sigh, and began to drag herself off his bed; not all that fast though.

"It's okay," John looked back round to Teyla. "At least she doesn't shed," he joked. "Does she?" He suddenly realised he wasn't sure if that was true. "Maybe some dragon dandruff?" He was wittering now, feeling weird at the moment they'd just shared and then lost just as quickly.

"Not that I have noticed," Teyla replied.

Heavy, oddly somewhat sulky sounding, dragon steps were heading towards him, so John looked back and down to see Ketra plodding towards them.

"I guess she approves of the beds here," he joked again as the dragon began pushing past him. He reached down and stroked Ketra's side and she paused to lean her large shoulder against his leg. He rubbed her side, showing he wasn't upset with her for the whole bed stealing thing, besides, it might just have been his fault because he'd let her share the spare bed on the Sythus with him a few times.

"She has always liked spending time with you," Teyla offered.

He smiled at that, but had to correct that. "Not at first."

Teyla nodded, her eyes lowering to Ketra and back. "Father still believes it was because she was jealous of you at first."

Yeah, Torren had brought that up before now.

"I'd have thought she'd have gotten more jealous later when we...started spending more time together," he glanced back at her, not sure whether he should be mentioning those days. Those passionate, fun, and sexy times.

"True," Teyla readily agreed though, and she even smiled at him. "Perhaps it was that she sensed your intentions towards me from the start and did not like it."

He straightened up from stroking Ketra. "Or maybe she sensed you were too interested in me and _that_ was why she was jealous."

Teyla's responding smile had a slanted, almost flirtatious angle to it. "Perhaps."

Okay...

The fizz was back in the air again, or was it just his body that was fizzing?

He wasn't sure what exactly was different this evening, but something felt different. Or perhaps more familiar.

Teyla glanced away, breaking the moment again. "I wanted to thank you for your assistance today, John."

"You already thanked me," he pointed out, keeping his entire awareness on her. Ketra had moved away and he couldn't have cared less if she was back on his bed and was settled in for the night.

Teyla's dark eyes lifted back to his, but he could see that the flirtatious mood had shifted. "I appreciate that so often it has been you visiting with me among my people, either Athosian or Elite, and now I am the one among your people. I found your close presence today very helpful and supportive."

He was kind of taken back by that. "I'm happy to help," he told her honestly.

"I think our marriage has started to have true and real effects," she said.

He got that she meant politically speaking...of course.

"I agree," he nodded, working to ignore the strange little hurt feeling in his chest. "Space guns and everything," he tried to joke.

She chuckled slightly, but her smile faded a little.

He blinked, becoming aware of something about her. He wasn't sure what it was, but there was something off. Pulling his attention away from his appreciation of her new PJs and the strange attraction but also cautious feeling in the air between them, he studied her.

"You okay?" He asked on impulse.

She looked a little surprised at the question, but then glanced aside, a strangely sad looking frown crossing her beautiful face. He felt the compulsion to pull her in for a hug. They hugged on Athos.

"I just," she shook her head slightly and then took a breath. "I am feeling a little...out of place," she looked back up at him.

He understood now. "You feeling a bit homesick, huh?"

"A little," she shrugged, seeming a little self-conscious. He liked that she was sharing how she really felt with him. She trusted him, not just with work stuff and big Alliance contracts, but with how she was feeling.

"Which is strange," she continued, "because I do not have a set home anyway."

"Don't let your Dad hear you say that," he teased her gently.

She nodded and grinned, looking a little more relaxed.

Part of him really wanted to offer to sleep next to her, so she'd feel more comfortable, but he didn't say it. He didn't think she'd want that, or, even if she took up the offer, he didn't trust himself to keep his hands from exploring under her new blue PJs.

He should focus on just saying something to make her feel better. "Another big day tomorrow to look forward to," was all he could think of to say. "Ketra gets to meet Dr Petri."

Teyla tried to smile at that, but she hadn't looked all that happy about the prospect of the Exobiologist due to meet Ketra tomorrow.

"Hey, Dr Petri is great. She'll love Ketra," John added quickly, because he clearly wasn't helping. "She's a great scientist," he guessed. He didn't really spend time with the woman who had only been in the city this last year. "Best in her field." He wasn't sure how many exobiologists there were – maybe a lot now with the Stargate programme back home.

Teyla nodded.

John reconsidered his words a little. "She's a little bit...wacky," he thought he should probably mention.

"Wacky?" Teyla repeated the word with a frown which meant that the word hadn't translated well.

"Yeah, um," he tried to think of the best description of the wild haired Exobiologist, "eccentric," he decided on.

"Oh," Teyla nodded that she understood, but clearly he wasn't actually helping. It was probably the Athosian shower wash smell messing with his brain.

"She's great though," John tried to repair the situation. "Hey, I'm not due to be on duty tomorrow until 11:00, so I could go with you and Ketra to meet her," he suggested.

She smiled at that. "That would be helpful."

Good, she looked more convinced now.

He liked that his going made things better for her.

Maybe his sleeping next to her really would help her feel more comfortable here.

"Then when I'm back late afternoon," he added quickly before he got thinking about bed sharing, "it'll be time to try golf, with Si." Why had he gone and invited Si to join them?

"Yes, I am looking forward to finally trying your golf game," Teyla replied.

"See," he smiled back, "lots to look forward to here." He reached out and touched her arm lightly, needing to make some contact to reassure her.

The tiny touch was satisfying though, just that small touch. On Athos at least they got to share a hug and even sometimes he kissed her on her cheek to say hello.

She smiled back, not recoiling from the touch at all.

"In no time you'll be thinking of Atlantis as another home," he suggested. Her elbow was warm through the layer of the blanket over her bare arm.

"I am sure I will," she seemed to be reassuring him now.

He still had his hand on her elbow.

He should probably move it.

Except it felt nice, even that little contact.

It was getting difficult to remember why them being together was a bad thing right now. Stood close to one another in the doorway of their adjoining quarters, both dressed for bed, barefoot. The Athosian flowery smell lingered around him, tempting, easing, and stimulating all at once. All warmed by her body heat that he could feel under his fingers.

What were those silly little reasons this was a bad idea again?

That if they were found out he could get fired, maybe grounded from piloting again.

Maybe even sent back to Earth.

Except they were married now...

Could it really be all that wrong?

The fizz was back in the air, buzzing the air between them like a living thing. Her eyes were dark pools looking up at him, her body faintly tensed like she was ready to move...away or towards him?

She was the one to break eye contact, looking away sharply. "I should probably turn in for the night," she said as she faintly shifted her weight back slightly.

He dropped his hand from her elbow. "Sure," he agreed just as quickly, making sure he didn't sound disappointed. "If you need me tonight, just knock." That sounded like a certain kind of offer. "Um, I mean, you know-"

"I understand," she interrupted, smiling, but there was that annoying awkward tension between them again. "Thank you."

"Sleep well," John told her, finding it suddenly difficult to make direct eye contact.

"You as well, John," she replied, while moving backwards and turning towards the direction of her bed. "I shall see you tomorrow morning before first meal," she added.

"Sure," he agreed as he stepped back over the threshold back into his quarters. He smiled at her again as she looked back at him over her colourfully blanketed shoulder. "Night, Teyla."

"Goodnight, John," she smiled back, warmly again.

He waved his hand over the door crystals and the door slid shut abruptly.

He let out a loud heavy sigh. Damn it.

"Smooth, John. Real smooth," he muttered to himself as he turned away into his quarters.

It was dark in here now the light from Teyla's side of the door was gone. He headed for his bed, his eyes adjusting back to the low light level. He took a moment to shake out his covers and give the mattress a quick brush in case Ketra was having a shedding season.

He climbed back into the bed and dropped onto his back, letting out another sigh towards the dark ceiling above.

A long scratch echoed across the room.

He lifted his head, hearing straining.

The sound repeated several times – Ketra was back at the adjoining door, trying to dig through it apparently.

The sound stopped, and John could picture Teyla on the other side telling Ketra off again.

Silence followed.

He stared at the closed adjoining door through the darkness. He could only just make out the outline lit by the door crystals, but it was enough. Was he going to have to do this every night all week – stare at her door like a lovesick puppy?

He turned onto his side, away from the door, huffing out loud like Ketra had done earlier. Maybe he should start running in the evenings as well as the mornings, help burn off some energy this week.

The scratching started up again, long scrapes by long dragon claws.

The scratching stopped...then started again.

He started chuckling into the dark. Clearly Ketra didn't understand why there was a closed door between them all.

The sounds stopped, and stayed quiet this time. He imagined that Teyla had probably gotten pretty cross with Ketra now.

He closed his eyes and willed his body to relax, especially certain still fizzing feeling areas of him.

The scratching started up again.

This time he got up and padded his way to the door. He waved his hand over the crystals and the door opened again, but this time to an equally dark room on the other side. There was enough light from the crystal panels though for him to see Ketra sat on the floor looking up at Teyla stood over her.

"...behave yourself," Teyla was saying as the door opened. "I am sorry, John," she quickly added as she straightened up.

"It's okay," he assured her, but it was clear to him that there was only going to be one way that Ketra would stop the scratching. "We can keep the door open, if it's easier. I don't mind," he offered.

"Are you sure?" Teyla asked.

"Yeah, if you're okay with it," he checked, wondering if the open door would be breaching that distance between them.

"She may end up trying to climb up on your bed again," Teyla pointed out, not seeming all that worried at the prospect of the open door policy though.

John shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first time," he waved off the worry.

"If you are certain," she nodded and then turned to Ketra. "Ketra, this is your bed, remember," she encouraged Ketra away back to the mattress on the floor.

Ketra looked back to John.

"I'll just be in here, Ketra," John told her. He had no idea how much Ketra understood, but he'd learnt a while ago that the dragon was far more intelligent than she looked.

Ketra moved away from the doorway and out of the light, so he couldn't see them.

"We will keep the door open for you, Ketra, but you need to sleep here," Teyla said in the dark and he heard Ketra's weight drop onto her mattress.

"Sleep well, ladies," he called into the darkness as he turned to head back to his bed.

"Goodnight, John," Teyla called back.

As he got back into bed, he could faintly hear Teyla still talking softly to Ketra. After a few seconds, her voice stopped and he strained his hearing until he heard what sounded like the creak of Teyla's bed as she climbed back into it.

Then silence.

He smiled into the darkness now, feeling oddly more cheerful again. It made no sense at all why he would, but he did.

After a few minutes, he could hear a snuffle and the scrape of claws on Ancient floor that sounded like Ketra was back in the adjoining doorway, moving around, but a second later the sound moved away again.

He was kind of touched that the big lizard liked to know where he was.

He pulled his sheets up over his shoulders more comfortably and turned onto his side, facing the adjoining door this time.

Sleep arrived easily now. He knew there was no way he could actually hear Teyla's breathing from the other room, but the sound seemed to play around him as he slipped into a nice warm dream.

00000

The restricted entrance into Myrtle's was only known to the Elite and select military leaders, so Oneakka had no eyes on him as he tapped in the access code sent to the Facility daily. The door was opened by a smart security professional.

"Welcome, Honoured Elite," the man greeted as he bowed to Oneakka. "Would you like a drink or some food?"

"Where's Myrtle?" Oneakka asked simply as he stepped into the club.

The main club was only a wall away, so the deep vibrations of music were just discernible over the more laid back mellow music playing in the restricted section of Myrtle's. The restricted entrance allowed Elite could come and go from the club without interacting with anyone else, or from where they could head into the main club. But Oneakka wasn't here to socialise.

The security member looked up from his arm mounted display screen. "Myrtle is currently on floor three and should be available soon to meet."

Oneakka nodded and headed away from the man and straight for the single flight of stairs that ran above the small bar. There were only three Elite on the ground floor this evening, and Oneakka knew two of them were on temporary hiatus for wound recovery. The third was one of the eldest Elite and one of his former teachers; she lifted a tall glass of a dark liquid to him as he climbed the stairs. Oneakka nodded back to her respectfully, but focused on moving up the stairs as quickly as he could.

It didn't pay to let Myrtle have enough to time to prepare himself.

The message had come through from Myrtle less than half an hour ago and Oneakka had headed straight here.

He liked the club, but he didn't like interacting with Myrtle. The man was a cliché wrapped in an ego that could power a battleship for a week.

Myrtle's message had clearly been designed to provoke a reaction, so Oneakka was happy to oblige. He suspected Myrtle wouldn't expect him to turn up though. At least not so quickly.

Oneakka reached the empty third floor in quick time and moved around the lone security guard up here, to spot Myrtle sat at a table, up close and personal with a female, and it sounded like they were discussing some sort of trade. Though, from the presence of the woman's hand high up on Myrtle's thigh, there was other trade going on as well.

Myrtle attracted female attention like fragrant flowers drew in insects. Women wafted to him as if under some chemical spell, and had done so since the man had hit puberty. They'd been in the same training year, and so Myrtle had been in Oneakka's life from his first day in Elite training as a young child. The first memory that he could recall of Myrtle was sitting next to him as they had learnt how to write the newly established Alliance technical language with big charcoal crayons. They hadn't ever been friends, even as children, but they had been a part of each other's life.

He hadn't seen Myrtle for a good few months, but the man looked exactly the same, as always. Tonight he was dressed in an open white shirt that looked like it had cost a great deal of currency. But then Myrtle had plenty of currency from his successful club, in fact the man had been successful in everything he chose to focus on. He'd been a good warrior and his loss from the fighting ranks had been a hit; but, he still served and gained success in all other manner of ways.

Oneakka didn't question Myrtle's dedication to being an Elite, but some days he suspected that the sole reason Myrtle had chosen a nightclub for his business was because it allowed him to meet as many women as he wanted.

Tonight's current flirtations were focused on this new woman, who looked more familiar to Oneakka the closer he got. It took him a second more to identify her as the commander of the Kitan home defence fleet. She spotted him approaching at about the same point as he recalled her name. She straightened her back and Oneakka saw her hand disappear from Myrtle's lap.

Myrtle looked round and Oneakka was particularly pleased at the shocked surprise across the man's face. Clearly he hadn't read his security's announcement that Oneakka was on his way up. He had been too interested in arranging his 'trading'.

"I think I shall go find myself another drink," the commander told Myrtle as she stood up.

Oneakka reached the table as the woman extracted herself from it and slid past him with as much distance as she could politely manage.

"Honoured Elite," she smiled to him with a nod as she moved around him.

"Commander," Oneakka replied, making sure she, and Myrtle, knew he had identified her. He didn't give a Wraith shit that she was here flirting with Myrtle, that was their business, but it always helped to make Myrtle feel uncomfortable.

Oneakka sat down at the table, sitting directly opposite Myrtle, and it wasn't so that the man could easily read his lips.

Myrtle signalled the nearby security guard with a wave of his hand. "Two ruus wines for us." The man nodded and spoke into his concealed radio link.

Oneakka didn't want anything to drink, but it was Myrtle's way to play the host and it helped him feel superior.

"Oneakka," Myrtle shifted in his seat, blood probably flowing away from his groin now his flirtations were interrupted. "I had expected a response to my message, but not a personal visit."

"I wanted a break away from the Facility," Oneakka replied simply.

Myrtle narrowed his eyes at him.

"What happened with the man she identified?" Oneakka asked getting directly to the point at hand.

Myrtle's message hadn't held a lot of detail; he'd just reported that Seeal had "kindly graced" his club and had pointed out a criminal to his security force. Then there had been a less than subtle implication that Myrtle had spoken directly with Seeal. The man usually only spoke face-to-face with his patrons if they were in trouble, who were usually male, or he had some 'trading' in mind, who were always female that he'd handpicked from the dancefloor.

Oneakka had come here to make sure neither of those categories applied to Seeal.

A serving attendant arrived and set two thin glasses of ruus wine onto the table, and Myrtle waited until she had left before he answered Oneakka, which was clearly intended to build tension.

Myrtle pushed one glass further towards Oneakka and then smiled. "It was an operation with Enforcement and we let him in so they could pick up his buyer."

Oneakka nodded, the situation making far more sense now. Myrtle didn't let any criminals in here.

"Enforcement got the buyer?" Oneakka checked.

"He arrived a few minutes after I invited Seeal up to my table to thank her."

Oneakka ignored that. "No other issues?" He checked.

Myrtle picked up his glass and paused with the rim against his lower lip. "Nothing worrying."

"Good."

"It was good of you to come all this way to tidy up any mess."

Oneakka looked away as he answered, letting the man work to read his lips. "Hardly a mess."

"Not in my club," Myrtle smiled smugly.

"But apparently military grade trade is," Oneakka baited Myrtle, but was instantly annoyed at himself for giving in to the urge.

"All part of the mandate to find out the sources the High Council are using to build their secret little fleet," Myrtle countered.

"And have you actually found anything useful?" Oneakka challenged.

"Oh everything I have encountered has been useful this evening."

Oneakka just managed to stop himself from rolling his eyes at that.

He contemplated drinking some of the ruus wine. It was odd seeing it in elegant glasses, because that was never how they drank it on Athos. Chunky hand crafted wooden or metal mugs were the usual vessel for ruus, but it was typical that Myrtle would serve it in fancy sparkling clean glasses instead. The man had always had a strange elegance that ran completely counter to Oneakka's own nature. Where he had built layers of useful muscle and collected a variety of scars, Myrtle looked healthy, preened, and annoyingly youthful.

"I would say the same for the delightful Seeal," Myrtle added, his tone and his expression making his intentions clear – both in regards to Seeal and in attempting to provoke Oneakka.

Which meant that Myrtle had probably been talking with Massa, who had also been in their same training year. Massa had always gotten on with Myrtle and had used to visit the club a lot before he had lost Mera and then adopted Aki.

"Useful?" Oneakka checked the man's meaning and avoiding anything else that Myrtle was insinuating.

"I meant simply as an encounter, the woman is quite enticing."

Oneakka felt the reaction and crushed it as quickly as it arrived, making damn sure that nothing of his expression or body language changed to give any hint to Myrtle.

"I can see why you keep her around."

"She continues to be useful," Oneakka supplied and resisted the urge to cross his arms, knowing Myrtle would see it as defensive.

"Really?" Myrtle said suggestively and lifted an eyebrow. "I didn't think that part of you still worked."

Oneakka started talking before he could stop himself. "I'm surprised yours hasn't worn off by now." Old habits; that was why he had retaliated. Old habits and new sensitivities around Raven.

He shouldn't have come here, but, at the same time, he couldn't have left Myrtle's message without a response. Myrtle needed to understand that some women were not to be played with, regardless of how seductive Myrtle could be to the female persuasion.

Myrtle laughed and lifted his ruus wine again. "How is Pampata, by the way?"

"Getting married to Piye," Oneakka supplied more than one answer at a time about his former lover. It also told him that Pampata never came here anymore. Long gone were the days when she had used to attend the club with him and the other Elite and crew. Those had been many long years ago now.

"Really?" Myrtle looked surprised. "Wow, things are changing."

"Pampata is happy and deserves to be."

"And what about you?" Myrtle asked as he set his glass back on the table.

Oneakka frowned at the unexpected question. "It doesn't matter to me that she's marrying," he replied.

"Has she met Seeal?"

"There's no need for her to," Oneakka countered. "Seeal is an Elite employee."

Myrtle nodded as he turned his glass by the base of its long glittering stem. "And a fine woman too: aggressive, intelligent, and beautiful. _Just_ the kind of employees I like."

Oneakka considered punching Myrtle in the nose.

He decided not to.

Myrtle grinned.

Oneakka reconsidered the punch.

It wouldn't be the first time they had come to blows, but those had been younger days. Days before Oneakka had set his life on a more serious and focused path within the Elite training programme; not like before when he had thought people's opinions of him were important and that he needed to prove himself as a man.

When the Wraith had slaughtered his people, he had grown up.

He didn't think Myrtle had ever even considered growing out of his sexualised teenage years.

"You need to start to enjoy your life more, Oneakka," Myrtle stated. "What good is saving the galaxy if you don't appreciate and enjoy what's in the galaxy?"

Oneakka had had enough of this. He pushed up from his seat. He'd achieved what he had wanted to in coming here and it was best not to stay here any longer. Various retaliatory taunts and insults played through Oneakka's mind as he stood up, but he didn't voice them. Myrtle could always bring out the worst in him, even now.

"Do send my highest regards to Seeal," Myrtle baited.

More insults came to mind, but Oneakka held them in as he turned to leave.

"Oneakka?" Myrtle interrupted the departure.

Oneakka paused and glanced back at him.

"For your interest, she turned down my offer," Myrtle reported. He didn't need to explain further as to what that offer would have involved.

Oneakka wasn't surprised the offer had been made, but he was, annoyingly, deeply relieved to hear Raven had shut Myrtle down. He made sure to hide his reaction though.

"Keep up the research on the military shipments," Oneakka told him simply and headed away.

The next floor down, Oneakka turned off the staircase and headed towards the door in the corner that opened up into the main club. Mounted on the wall by the door was a glowing screen displaying lists of names in the club beyond. As anyone military, Elite, or Elite staff who entered Myrtle's had personal subdermal implants, each was recorded as they entered and then left the club. The visitors were listed by categories established by Myrtle, and the Elite and their staff sat at the top of the display's real-time record.

Seeal and her group were still in the club.

Oneakka tapped in the door code and pushed open the door into the corridor that led to the club's bathrooms to the left and to the right it opened up into the second floor mezzanine level in the main public club. The music grew in volume, echoing off the walls as he headed down the corridor and out into the club. The music was loud and of a good rhythm in here, people swaying and even bouncing in their seats.

She'd probably be dancing.

He would just check on them and then leave.

He moved across the half-lit mezzanine level to the railing that looked down over the main dancefloor below.

Lights flashed down through the column of open air that was warm from the number of bodies moving below and the number of lights powering the club from above.

He spotted her immediately within the swaying crowd below. Madesh was with her, as were Nevaeh and Fleta from the Sythus. Oneakka spotted Ru and Numfar a short distance away at the edge of the dancefloor, both drinking down tankards of water.

Oneakka looked back to Seeal, but at this angle he could only really see the top of her head and shoulders as she moved. He could see that she was laughing though; enjoying her freedom.

He pulled his eyes away from the sight and moved through the seated and standing mass of Myrtle's patrons. As usual, everyone moved out of his way, some nodding and most looking terrified.

Oneakka would bet all his currency that Myrtle never had that reaction on his patrons.

Not that Oneakka cared.

He reached the stairs and exchanged polite nods with the security guard stood at the top. Oneakka headed down the steps to the first level and then onwards down towards the ground level. As he did, he looked out across the dancefloor again and spotted Madesh looking his way having noticed him.

Madesh said something and Seeal, dancing in front of him, who looked round over her shoulder.

The second her gaze fell on him, she stopped dancing and turned fully towards him. A cross looking glare filled her flushed features and she began moving through the dancers.

Oneakka focused on heading down the last of the stairs, aware that he was, just a little bit, amused at her reaction.

She appeared at the bottom of the stairs a few seconds before he reached the ground floor. Her fists were on her hips.

He hadn't seen the outfit she was wearing before, but then it made sense that she had different clothing for her evenings out with those from the Sythus.

The low edge of her neckline revealed far more of her cleavage than he'd ever seen, even when he'd tattooed her side. Her cheeks were flushed from her dancing and the heat inside Myrtle's, and her eyes were dark with annoyance.

He stepped down onto the ground floor near her and kept walking, forcing her to move aside and then follow him.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded as he stopped further to the side, out of the way of others. She moved round in front of him, one finger lifting to point up at him.

Fortunately there were plenty of people crowded around down here, even when most of them were trying to leave a wide berth around him, which meant that not that many could see her behaving like this to an Elite warrior.

Not that he cared.

He glanced at the finger pointed at him and wondered when he'd started deliberately provoking this side of her.

"You had better not be checking up on me," she shouted over the music.

Oneakka had some ability to read lips, as all Elite were trained to do, though few were as skilled as Myrtle had had to become. It meant that he didn't need to stand too close to her to know exactly what she was shouting at him, but the clear glossy coating over her lips was new. She probably only wore it on her evenings out.

"Myrtle contacted me," Oneakka informed her, lifting his voice higher over the music and leaning forward a fraction towards her.

She frowned at that and she looked up towards the levels above, and then she focused on one particular point and glared.

Oneakka looked up himself and saw that Myrtle had arrived into the main club. He was stood in plain sight, leaning on the railing up on the second level, and was clearly watching them.

Oneakka looked back to Seeal and she turned the force of her glare on him. "I didn't do anything wrong," she protested, and she looked oddly anxious in her appeal. She didn't usually show that so easily.

It occurred to him that she might have had some alcohol.

"No, you didn't," Oneakka agreed and shook his head clearly for her to understand through the flashing lights and music.

She frowned.

"I'm just visiting an old friend," Oneakka lied and looked up at the distant Myrtle again.

Myrtle angled his head in a way that seemed sarcastic and taunting from down here.

Oneakka looked back to Seeal, to find that her frown had gone and she was looking at him with more interest.

"Friends?" She asked doubtfully as she crossed her arms. The movement lifted her breasts slightly in her thin, low cut top. He made sure to keep his eyes away though.

He started to lie again, only a sudden vibration in his back pocket caught his attention, and then it repeated. A high level alert had come through to his personal pad.

Only, then the double buzz repeated.

He grabbed at his pocket quickly, all else falling from his attention as he pulled out the pad to see the emergency alert.

He hadn't ever seen the alert displayed across the screen before, and, for a split second, he had to re-read it to be sure he had read it correctly.

"What is it?" Seeal asked loudly, moving closer to him, sounding worried.

"Wraith," Oneakka summarised simply as he pushed past her, heading towards the exit through the club as fast as he could.

The security at the door had seen him coming and the way was free for him to rush out of Myrtle's.

As he reached the Portal a few minutes later, pushing past everyone to dial back into the Facility address, he lifted the pad to read the alert again.

" _Territory Breach – Hive attack in progress – Atreus._ "

As the Portal turned, the lights flaring up above him, he frowned at the display.

Someone must have made a mistake typing in the planet. Atreus was deep inside Alliance territory. How could it possibly be under attack from a Hive without having been detected long before? How had all the sensors, satellites, and patrols in the vast distance between Atreus and the closest part of the border not have registered the Hive breaching the territory long ago? How could it be so far into Alliance territory?!

And Atreus was densely populated, with only the usual basic defensive capabilities. It hadn't been culled in well over a decade.

And most of the Fleet were still working on pushing out the border in the far distant former Nest System.

00000  
TBC


	15. The Atreus Attack

**Chapter 15 – The Atreus Attack**

Halling switched his gaze from screen to screen and issued orders across several link frequencies to the various voices speaking back to him.

He had been the first Elite to the Facility's Emergency Response Station, so had taken immediate Lead for the emergency situation. He had only been down the corridor here in the security centre of the Facility, having been downloading the latest of the deep sensor readings to study and checking up on any update regarding Amduat. As the attack alarm had blazed loud and violent through the centre, he had responded instantly. Years of training had had him running directly towards the Emergency Response Station even as he received the automatic alert into his pad in his hand.

The details of the situation had shocked him at first, but his training had quickly kicked in and he had begun assessing all he could and connecting the Facility to the various Alliance Military response channels. Three other Elite had arrived within the first few minutes, all on-rest rotation as compared to the rest of the on-alert Elite in the Facility who were already all on their way to the Portal for deployment once confirmation to action was given by him as Lead. Every Elite had trained for, and during, these situations enough to respond instantly and to go immediately where they were needed without orders.

In one of Halling's ears, the Alliance Military's central point of all emergency response, Battle Station, gave orders and relayed information through from Atreus.

The Hive over Atreus had first been detected by the planet's sentry satellites and the standard response protocols had been enacted, immediately informing all military bases on Atreus and triggering alerts through the Link network to Military bases and to the Facility here. As part of the protocol, Atreus' Portal had been immediately dialled out, hoping to block any inbound Wraith wormhole intending to prevent civilian escape. Whoever the staff member was who had dialled out of Atreus had done so within twenty seconds of the initial alert, which would earn them a commendation for such fast work; assuming they survived the attack.

The fast dialling had been successful too, having established a wormhole to the Military's 'Battle Station' and preventing the Wraith from blocking the Portal. However, Battle Station was not designed to receive civilians in any significant amounts, being only an initial response centre based on an orbiting space station above Aria. Instead, Battle Station issued further Alliance wide alerts and then communicated with the Alliance Military's 'Deployment Station' via emergency channels over the links network. Working together, the two stations were coordinating swapping the wormhole to Atreus by having Deployment Station partially dial into Atreus, but wait on the final symbol until the second after the wormhole from Atreus was shutdown. Deployment Station then would dial its last symbol and lock, hopefully, into Atreus and thus open an inbound connection to Atreus.

It would be that inbound Portal that would be how the Alliance would respond effectively to the Wraith attack on Atreus. Despite its name, Deployment Station was actually based on a planet and utilised a Portal that had been harvested from a dead world. All Alliance Military staff served several rotations on Deployment Station, forming a vast number of ground troops and Portal-able fighters ready for deployment through the Portal.

Halling listened intently as Atreus staff worked with Battle Station and Deployment Station to set up the inbound wormhole, voices and commands communicating back and forth. Halling knew his emergency channel would be slightly delayed by its travel through the Links network, which meant that everything he heard was already seconds old, but it was effectively real time.

Deployment Station was dialling into Atreus, working through the symbols quickly and efficiently, up until the final symbol.

Halling switched his gaze to the Facility's response while he waited. All the Elite in the Facility had responded, either in the room with him or on their way to the Portal, and all Recruits and Facility staff were returning to their quarters. Beyond the Facility, Elite stationed on other worlds were also connecting in, communicating the situation where they were and some were able to dial into the Facility's Portal to join the deployment team waiting for confirmation for Elite boots to hit Atreus soil. Massa, across the room with Aki in his sling, was overseeing the preparations for the Elite deployment, while several others were communicating with Military bases and available ships, all working together to coordinate a full response. It was important not only to respond to the attack on Atreus, but also to ensure the rest of the Alliance was on standby for any further attacks.

The main link channel in Halling's ear piece came to life with Deployment Station's command for Atreus to shutdown their Portal.

Halling felt the atmosphere shift in the room around him, all ears focused, waiting to hear if the dial in from Deployment Station would be successful. If the Wraith got in there first, then the way onto Atreus would be blocked...

Atreus confirmed the Portal down and Deployment Station dialled their last symbol, all within seconds.

Atreus waited for the new wormhole, but all while the attack was ongoing there. Other frequencies in from Atreus via the Link network reported multiple Wraith fighters over Atreus' Portal city, firing down on the buildings and already sweeping up panicked civilians. Atreus needed more warriors and fighters and they needed them now.

Deployment Station reported a successful lock and, a second later, Atreus confirmed their open wormhole, and immediately the order was given for the first ground troops to go through.

Halling listened intently as the first battalion reported ready and then started through to Atreus. Halling could hear the determined but nervous voices of the warriors arriving there, coordinating with Atreus Military and Deployment Station.

The initial battalion through and setting up incoming Portal protection protocols, Deployment Station began sending through its first wave of Portal-able fighters to engage Wraith fighters, keeping them away from the Portal air space.

Halling switched his attention to the screen showing the Military Fleet's position and their acknowledgement of the emergency alert, and that both the High Council and Military Council were alerted and gathering quickly. The Military Council would be the one to take the lead in issuing any ongoing Alliance wide responses, guided by Deployment Station and the Elite. Halling tapped open one communication link and listened in to the conversations going back and forth between the Military Council and Deployment Station. Good, everyone was responding quickly and efficiently.

Deployment Station announced the first wave of fighters were all through and engaging Wraith fighters, and the second ground battalion was now going through to Atreus. The response was moving quickly along. After that battalion, another wave of fighters would be next through and those would be heading up into orbit to help the Atreus defence ships attack the Hive directly.

"Elite Halling?" Maja called from a station to the left, all honorary titles unnecessary in emergency situations such as these. Halling looked round. "Oneakka is through the Portal and is on local link frequency twelve."

Relief ran through Halling to know that his exceptionally able friend was back and would, no doubt, be gearing up to join the Elite deployment group gathering at the Portal. Only once Deployment Station sent through enough troops and fighters would the Elite at the Portal go through the same procedure as Deployment Station had done and coordinate a dial out to Atreus. Then the Elite could deploy to Atreus, but, until then, they would have to wait. Oneakka was never good at waiting on the sidelines of a fight.

Halling nodded to Maja as he tapped open the right frequency through to Oneakka's ear link.

"Oneakka? Halling here," he called into the receiver on his collar.

"What by the Unnamed God is going on?" Oneakka demanded over the link, using one of his lesser used swear terms. It was Ugun in origin and Oneakka only used it when he was really upset.

"So far we have a single Hive over Atreus. The Hive's fighters are bombarding the main local military base and sweeping over the Portal city. Battle Station has passed the wormhole to Deployment Station and ground troops are through to Atreus already, along with now two waves of fighters as we speak."

"The Portal is open to Atreus?" Oneakka asked, clearly surprised. His voice was varying in volume suggesting that he was pulling on armour and weaponry as he talked.

"Yes," Halling reported the single piece of good news. "The Hive appeared beyond Atreus' orbit and all the sentry satellites triggered the emergency procedure. The Portal was dialled out to Battle Station in record time."

"Good," Oneakka huffed out over the link. "We're ready here," he reported.

"Understood," Halling found himself nodding to Oneakka despite the distance between them.

"It's just one Hive?" Oneakka clarified and Halling sensed more in his friend's tone.

Halling could not deny the charge of relief he had felt the moment the alarm had been raised, only it had been, shamefully, replaced by disappointment as soon as he had learnt that the attack was due to Wraith.

It was not the unnamed enemy that Sitayi had predicted.

He was still to wait for that.

"Yes," he confirmed to Oneakka. "We have no idea how it breached so far into our territory, we are still gathering data."

"Understood," Oneakka stated back, and Halling knew that Oneakka's reaction was likely to be the exact opposite of his own. Oneakka was relieved that this was a familiar enemy. "You need to stay here and coordinate our response," Oneakka stated.

Halling frowned at that, knowing the true reason behind it. "I am already Response Lead here," he replied. He could remove himself from the position and join those at the Portal for deployment, being able bodied, but it was usually considered only the last resort as it could waste valuable time to hold up the dial out to Atreus to wait for him. He glanced at the list of Elite at the Portal – there were ten, eleven now with Oneakka. They did not need him, and by staying as Lead he was ready for additional deployment if necessary.

Still, he did not like that Oneakka had ordered him to stay here.

He was going to face the moment Sitayi had predicted, whether Oneakka liked it or not.

"I will be ready for additional deployment if necessary," he told Oneakka, hearing the steel in his own voice.

"We'll deal with the Wraith," Oneakka replied with feeling.

Halling had to smile painfully at the truth in that. At least with the Wraith, the enemy was well known and all the Elite, and the Military, were well trained to fight them.

But he could not guarantee that he would have sufficient training to meet what Sitayi had seen.

There was nothing for him to do but the best he could when the fateful moment finally arrived.

00000

Despite everything occurring outside the Hive's hull, Long Sleep was obsessively focused on his work. For the battle outside and the culling below would only be successful if he could keep the Hive strong and stable.

Using the new drive to arrive abruptly into the Armoured Herd's territory had not resulted in a weak response from the prey. There were already ships in orbit of the planet and, though they were not the most advanced warships of the Armoured Herd's fleet, they were putting up a hard fight from the start. And their ships were growing in number too.

The extra numbers of fighters that had been squeezed into this Hive had all launched at once, some engaging the Herd's ships, while others were already down in the planet's atmosphere beginning the culling. Long Sleep had been quite shocked at the population life-sign readings registered by the Hive's sensors. There were over a million prey below. He had never known so many prey life-forms together and to see so clearly how fast the prey had been breeding without culling. As that knowledge had passed throughout the Hive, he had felt the ravenous anticipatory response of all onboard.

They were hungry, for their new Great Queen had not taken on fresh food in some time, but her promise of a vast feast appeared to be true enough.

However, Long Sleep had other matters to focus on, for the ongoing damage inflicted by the new drive had been proven a reality as the Hive's systems had failed in multiple points and new structural weaknesses were registering throughout the ship. As he had now become the only Keeper who was able to think clearly enough, he had coordinated the response, having predicted, reasonably accurately, where the worst failure points had arrived. The team of Keepers were already undertaking running repairs and most of the splice points he had helped repair before seemed to be holding. For now.

Though, it did not help that the Hive was under attack; the weapons fire outside was not damaging the new thick hull to any great extent, but the force of the impacts was still transferring in through to the weakened inner structure of the Hive.

With his other Keepers distributed where needed, he was working in the deepest part of the Hive to ensure the central space for the main fluid lines held. He did not trust the others to be clear-minded enough to do a thorough job in this area, for this was the vital heart of the Hive. A foolish mistake here could cause severe problems even on a strong and healthy Hive.

He was reasonably pleased though that the radiation hadn't seemed to have affected this area too intensely. The ability to heal was stronger here than anywhere else in the Hive, so he was pleased to find only small problems. Still, any problems here had to be dealt with immediately.

Long Sleep considered his latest patch to thicken the mainline nutrient tubes. He set his hand against the thick living tube wall, which pulsed with the life spreading out to the Hive, and eased his mind to touch the Hive's basic consciousness. The strange distaste he had sensed in the Hive for the new drive had not diminished, but his connection to the Hive felt far stronger in this deep place. He sent reassurance to the vessel, hoping that it would assist the living being. Normally a Queen would provide this, but the new Great Queen continued to be distracted from such things. Any time Long Sleep had mentioned the Hive's unhappiness to the Hive Primary, he had been threatened with a beating or death to question the Queen.

He felt a new shudder vibrate through the deck under his feet. He held still easily though, his hand against the nutrient tube supporting him enough, and he willed hopeful strength to the Hive to hold against this new threat.

He wondered how much longer the culling would last, for surely the Armoured Herd's main forces were mounting in response. If he could-

A strange sound whispered against his right ear.

Long Sleep paused and looked round.

He should be alone in this section of the Hive, for only Keepers ventured this deep into heart of the Hive. The throbbing pulsing of the fluids and the close press of the membranes made everything feel very different in this deep place and most Wraith kept their distance of this sacred space.

Still, perhaps someone had been sent down to find him?

He stepped away from the tubes and listened.

No, it must have been the sound of the fluids moving irregularly through the tubes.

He returned to his work, checking the tube in front of him once more. The newly added strengthening splice patch was healing in fast. He just needed to decide where next to focus his attention that would best support the-

The whisper was louder this time.

He turned, facing the sound, but saw nothing.

Only the sound was continuing now; a strange distant whispering, like a soft echo on a wind that was not there.

He frowned, straining to try to hear the words being whispered.

The Hive shuddered around him again, the tubes swinging slightly against him. He reached out to support himself.

" _Long Sleep..._ "

He had understood that well enough.

" _Please..._ "

He heard himself breathing faster at the unnerving call.

" _Long Sleeppp..._ "

Moving carefully, he followed the sound of the soft breath repeating his name, echoing between the membranes, walls, and fibres as he brushed between them.

Slipping between two soft warm tubes, he paused as the ship shuddered slightly. The air was far warmer here, but the atmosphere was somehow drier squashed between the large thick tubes. He moved forward a few more steps, uncertain.

" _Long Sleep..._ " the voice whispered, but this time it was closer.

He shifted around another long thick tube to see part of the innermost encrusted structural skeleton of the Hive. He truly was in the deepest part of the Hive. Very few would ever need to tread here, and the lack of space and the thinness of the air confirmed as much.

" _Please..._ " the voice pleaded.

Ducking around and under a huge structural bone, he peered into the densely webbed space behind it.

He had no idea who was calling him; surely no Wraith would be in here-

A thought occurred to him and he paused, a cold chill passing over his skin.

" _Please!_ " The voice was far clearer this time, no longer a distant whisper.

There was only one place in the depths here that a voice could possibly be generated, but that couldn't be. And it was forbidden to go there anyway...

He glanced back the way he had come.

" _Long Sleep_."

It was speaking to him directly.

It shouldn't be possible.

Despite his reservations though, he knew his own curiosity would not allow him to ignore the plea.

With a determined in breath, he shifted further into the tight space of old layers of webbing. Tentatively, he reached forward and caught a handful of some drooping membranes and gently tugged them aside, revealing a large mass of bone and membrane, and, in the centre of it, the face of the body seed.

No warrior, drone, or even Queen interacted with the dead soil out of which the Hive grew itself. Yet, Long Sleep had always wondered if some part of the dead human still lived inside the heart of Hives, working as the neural network through which the Hive could build itself, understand commands, and function.

Long Sleep leant carefully forward, getting a grip of some more webbing to support himself as he leant into the densely matted space.

The face of the former human was coated in tendrils of brown and blue, leaving just the eyes, nose, and mouth visible. Did that mean it needed to breathe still? No, the human had died many thousands of years ago to form the Hive. It was simply -

The eyes snapped open and he jerked back in shock.

"Long Sleep," the dry human voice groaned out.

How could it be talking? It was long dead.

No, it wasn't the human, he realised, it was the Hive. The Hive was using the dead soil to communicate with him.

He had never heard of anything like this before.

He leant closer once again. "I am here," he replied, his voice shaking as he glanced briefly over his shoulder. Surely there could be nothing more forbidden than this; if the Queen found him here...

"I burn," the Hive uttered with heavy feeling.

"The radiation?" Long Sleep guessed.

"Burning," whispered the dead human's voice. "Will not stop."

"I have tried," Long Sleep told the Hive's voice. "The new drive, it is needed for us to strike back at our prey."

The human's eyes moved, the dried ancient orbs somehow shifting in the orbits to look at him, but as he met its strange dead eyes, something else moved. A tendril slid around his hand, growing out of the webbing he was resting against. He frowned at the behaviour – it was as if the Hive was reaching out to touch him as he had done to it with reassuring thoughts. He had no idea that a Hive's basic mind could behave like this.

"Evil!" The voice whispered, but this time the word also echoed into his mind from the Hive's touch.

"I know," Long Sleep hissed his answer, making sure to keep his voice low. "I am trying to help you heal. To keep the structure intact."

"Evil!" The haunted voice repeated.

It was amazing that the Hive could actually understand and use language like this. He'd never heard of anything like this beyond the initial grow stages. "You are right," he said calmly and leant in closer. "The drive and its radiation are evil. I know it is harming you, but I do not know how stop it."

The dead eyes stared at him with empty lifeless holes. "No Queen."

Long Sleep paused, confused.

"She is here," he corrected.

"No Queen!" the dry dead voice insisted.

Long Sleep considered that. Perhaps the mixed lineages had broken the Queen's ability to commune properly with the Hive; perhaps that was why the new Queen didn't care enough about the Hive's survival. But, Hives could survive without a Queen; though important, a Queen was not necessary for the running of a ship.

Also, the new Queen's mind was so powerful, it was strange that the Hive's intelligence was not able to recognise her. Why would the supposed mixed genetic lineages mutate a Queen so significantly that the Hive could not recognise her? He would have assumed that it would have made the connection only stronger.

"Evil!" The voice breathed louder now, the tendril against his hand tightening almost to the point of pain.

"I will do what I can for you," Long Sleep promised. "I am working as best I can. If the new drive could be disabled," he wondered out loud. "Can you do that?" He had no idea how this consciousness exhibiting itself could function.

"No Queen!"

Long Sleep sighed.

He should have known – the Hive intelligence was too limited to understand his question. It was unusual that it had reached out to him, literally, but, maybe, without a link to the Queen and the damage from the drive, maybe it had been enough to trigger some basic survival consciousness to reach out this way. But, clearly he was not going to get anything helpful from the Hive consciousness.

"I will do the best I can," he promised calmly, and with no small amount of disappointment. "I will try to help you."

The tendril tightened on his hand again and he grimaced. He pulled at the tendril, digging his fingers into it to pull it free, only another tendril slipped around his fingers, the dense webbing under his palm giving away to brown sliding tendrils reaching for him.

He struggled, trying to pull back, but they were too much and he watched in horror as the warm wet extensions wove themselves up both his arms and tightened around him.

The mass of tendrils pulled him hard against the squelching webbing over the human body and he could feel that, though the human's head was intact, the middle of its body was not – it had formed into the Hive itself.

The tendrils kept pulling on him though, dragging him up towards the face, the lifeless human eyes staring at him, their shrivelled lids wide. He stopped a few inches from the face, its smell rotten and decaying.

"Long Sleep," the voice repeated, the breath of the human ghosting over his face. "No Queen here."

He stopped struggling against his bindings and tried to calm his thoughts enough to project reassurance to the Hive. If he could persuade it he was helping, bring ease, it would let him go to help it-

"No Queen. Skerti!"

Long Sleep froze and stared into the face, the long drawn out word echoing in the tiny dark space between them.

It was an ancient name; evil and legendary.

He frowned at the face, his fast thoughts moving slow now.

"Skerti?" He whispered the word, feeling foolishly afraid at simply uttering it.

"Skerti Queen," the voice whispered back, the rotten breath over his face.

Long Sleep's heart pounded in his chest and he held still, even as the tendrils pulled from him, leaving him lying against the webbing, staring at the soil seed.

"They are long dead," Long Sleep whispered.

The face didn't respond, but the eyes remained wide, locked in an expression of human terror.

Long Sleep had never seen one of the fabled ancient evil creatures. They were akin more to myth and prey-like fear, the darker shadows of ancient teeth and blood.

Yet, he remembered the strange outline to the new Queen when he and the other Cruiser leaders had knelt before the curtain separating her from them. He had thought the abnormalities of her form to be due to the mixed heritage story.

A story.

The niggling sensation of suspicion and worry he had felt since that first reception with the new Queen now formed into logical and instinctual insight. She hadn't looked right, and her mind hadn't felt right because...she was not Wraith.

She was Skerti!

The Hive's human eyes slid shut and the head rested back, a silent response of relief.

Long Sleep slipped from the webbing to the warm living floor and felt panic shake his body.

A Skerti.

The ancient evil...

She didn't care about the Hive, she didn't care about feeding the drones and warriors, because she wanted them all dead. She, like her fabled kin, wanted only to slaughter and drink the flowing blood of ages.

The new drive...it was not Wraith either!

Long Sleep staggered upright from the floor and all but ran from the broken human form, only to trip over some torn webbing and he fell against pulsing tubes of fluids.

Skerti!

The Hive was in enemy territory, possibly outnumbered already, and a Skerti was in command!

He had to leave the Hive somehow, or save it, somehow.

He stilled, panting like a frightened human, and forced his mind and emotions back under control. Panicking was only going to draw the enemy's mind.

He froze at the thought, staring up at the shifting tubes above him, listening with mind and ears.

He could feel the Queen, feel her massive mental presence, but she was distracted.

He quickly worked on wrapping up his thoughts, tightly concealing what he now knew; hiding it away under layers of his fast thoughts and expected fears.

The Hive, and all his fellow Wraith, were in danger, not just from enemy fire or undefined radiation, but from the greatest threat he could imagine.

A poisonous death-bringing Queen within.

000000

The extra weight of the ground-to-sky weapon felt satisfying in Oneakka's hands as he tucked its butt tight in against the inside of his shoulder. All power cells were lit and output set at full, and he wore all the spare weapons he could fit into his holster and tucked into his belt.

The spare armour felt a little tight around his still faintly bruised ribs, but it was adequate for the mission ahead.

The penultimate symbol for Atreus snapped alight on the Portal, the inner lights turning, the wormhole just one symbol away. It wouldn't be dialled until the active wormhole into Atreus was shutdown and then, within seconds, the last symbol would be dialled from here.

It was a procedure practiced to perfection by the Military and the Elite.

As was the formation he stood in with his fellow Elite; all armed up, weapons-arms relaxed but ready; all waiting the word to go through and help save Atreus.

It would be a warzone there; several Military battalions were already there and taking fire, and several waves of Portal-able fighters were engaging Wraith fighters and the Hive in high orbit above. It was the first time the Wraith had attacked a full member planet of the Alliance, but it was hardly the first planetary engagement for the Military or Elite.

Oneakka knew what he would be facing once he got through; if the word to go ever damn arrived.

He shifted his gaze across to Portal Security, where one staff member stood, palm held over the final symbol to Atreus, her ear trained with intense focus for the word from Halling to engage the wormhole.

Oneakka was more than a little desperately grateful that Halling wasn't going to go through to Atreus with him. As able as Halling was, Oneakka preferred him staying here for now. Though the Wraith were not going to be the threat Sitayi had predicted, it was still better Halling stayed here.

Unless the unknown enemy would attack the Facility while Oneakka was away?...

No, that couldn't be right. Could it?

Halling's voice echoed loud into Oneakka's radio link ear piece, and he saw the Security member's hand fall, the final symbol lighting up on the Portal.

All eyes and attention switched to the Portal as its lights flashed around the ring...if the Wraith had dialled in quicker...

Oneakka held his heavy weapon up tighter against his shoulder, aware of his fellow Elite preparing around him. Koyo stood to his right, her own weapon already held up by her chin ready for firing, and young Isen stood close to Oneakka's left. The young male Elite was barely out of the Facility, but he was a good warrior. As he worked from the Sythus now, Oneakka had told the young male to stick with him for the mission ahead. New Elite still needed guidance in loud and fast combat situations, for it was only after graduating that Elite really gained the warzone experience they needed to fight effectively and survive.

"Lock established!" The Security staff member announced from beside the Portal, but the result was already obvious as the strange power of the Portal kicked in. Oneakka watched as the energy crackled and formed, surging out from the Portal in a burst of power beyond Oneakka's understanding, but it was with nothing but relief that Oneakka watched it snap back into its watery readiness.

"Link confirmed to Atreus!" Halling's voice echoed in Oneakka's ear. "Deployment: go!"

Oneakka strode forward with fast but measured steps; decades of training and experience controlled the pace and shape of his movements, allowing his mind to focus on the action ahead.

The glimmer of the Portal filled his gaze, cutting off sight of anything else, but he knew in moments he would be through and he would need to be ready to respond to anything on the other side.

Shimmering water met his open eyes as he stepped into the Portal, which was followed with the bizarre sensation of movement, of being stretched and tumbling forward, and then he was stepping out onto Atreus.

The noise hit him like a wall, as he moved from the quiet of the Facility's Portal base to the mad sounds of planetary attack and culling. The air was loud with shouts, blasts of energy fire, something exploding in the distance, and the constant moving buzzing of the Wraith fighters overhead.

But he couldn't see any of that yet, because he and the Elite had walked out into the protective channel established by the Portal guards on Atreus. It was standard Military procedure on all Alliance planets to have the easily constructed portable tunnels by all Portals in order to protect incoming warriors from being swept up by Wraith sweeper beams. The material was thick plastic that was put together by the Military, and warriors on both sides pushed the sides up to clip together at the top to form the protective walkway in front of the Portal. Then, once the Portal was shutdown, the two sides could be split apart again, allowing space for the Portal to establish again.

So, Oneakka was surrounded by the semi-darkness of the tunnel as he moved forward, heading towards the square of light ahead that was Atreus. Koyo reached the exit of the tunnel just ahead of Oneakka and she took up station at the edge, peering out.

As Isen did the same on the other side of the tunnel exit, Oneakka heard the Atreus military channel come to life in his ear piece, voices flowing back and forward on the situation unfolding, but among it all he heard the phrase _"Elite are confirmed arrived."_ All the Elite were through the Portal behind him then, but they needed to exit the tunnel quickly now to allow the tunnel to be parted, the Portal to be shutdown, and the next dial in to commence at breakneck speed.

The ground of Atreus was surprisingly sandy under his boots as Oneakka set his feet and peered out from the tunnel and up into the skies of Atreus. It was what he had expected – the sky danced with fighters, both Wraith and Alliance, all moving in rapid darting flight paths as they worked to outmanoeuvre and shoot each other out of the sky. Energy weapons fire was fast and bright across the sky, some impacting buildings and adding to the dark smoke rising from various places that Oneakka could see from this angle. Buildings were on fire, fighters probably crashed as well, and sweeper beams working to scoop up those running from the fires.

But, for now, there were no immediate fighters targeting this area, for the Military fighters were doing their best to keep the Wraith away from targeting the Portal. Which gave the Elite time to disperse.

"All clear to go!" Koyo announced, reaching the same conclusion as Oneakka.

Oneakka headed forward, stepping out into the sunlight and sweeping his weapon up towards the busy skies. "Isen, with me," he ordered, though all had agreed their assignments before departing the Facility moon. Oneakka would keep Isen with him and to be the one to find the local ground command station near to the Portal and liaise with Atreus and the Deployment Station's battalion commanders.

"Yes, Honoured Elite," Isen's response was just audible to Oneakka over a new barrage of weapons fire crashing down into the top of a large sand coloured building just ahead. Oneakka headed towards it and then off to the left, moving around large flowerbeds with banks of small trees, to find the open public square that was his first target to reach.

Isen moving expertly with him, keeping behind Oneakka, but glimpses of the male confirmed to Oneakka that he was keeping focus and tracking targets in the sky.

Down the centre of the otherwise empty public square, there were eight, no nine, firing stations established by one Military battalion. Like the protective tunnel, the Military brought with them interlocking panels that were snapped together to form small stations under which four warriors could fit, stepping out to fire and able to step back under the portable ceiling that protected them from being swept up by a Wraith sweeper beam.

The closest firing station held several extra warriors crammed into the protected area, and already Oneakka had spotted one of the battalion's supervisors among them, the man shouting calm and controlled orders to his warriors as they stepped out from their firing stations and coordinated fire up at a passing Wraith fighter.

Oneakka saw the incoming fighter in question and stopped to brace his feet and lifted his weapon up towards the target, adding his fire to the battalion's.

The multiple shots did their work, smashing into the fighter as it flew towards them, forcing the fighter to veer off course, smoke rising from one of its twin engines and accompanying wing. An Alliance fighter rushed past overhead, adding its fire to the back end of the Wraith fighter. It was standard procedure to take out one Wraith engine and then attempt to force the fighter down to the ground, thereby hoping to keep most of the Wraith fighter intact. Ground troops then would sweep in and take out the Wraith before it either self-destructed or escaped to cull on foot, and then save the fighter's sweeper system and allow victims to be re-materialised later.

"Battalion Sup," Oneakka called as he continued on towards the closest firing station.

The battalion's Supervisor turned and, was so often the case, Oneakka saw the flash of relief on the man's face. To most warriors and civilians, the sight of Elite was reassuring in such situations.

"Honoured Elite!" The Supervisor nodded and Oneakka saw other warriors glancing round from their firing stations for a quick reassuring glimpse of Elite.

"Where is the ground command station?" Oneakka demanded, while switching his gaze between the skies and the Supervisor.

"In that direction, Honoured Elite," the man responded instantly. "Jameston," he gestured to one of the men crammed under the firing station with him, "go with the Elite, show them the command station."

"Yes, sir," the younger man nodded and stepped out from the firing station. "This way, Honoured Elite," he invited, but Oneakka just started running towards him, communicating the speed he wanted this to proceed.

Jameston got the message and turned, the military buttons on his Atreus uniform catching the light as he led them towards the nearest building. There was a useful overhang jutting out from the large sand-coloured building, and Jameston led them to it, and then along under its protection, moving around the building.

Oneakka followed Jameston, glancing at the firing stations now behind them and then across to the middle of the new wide and empty public square ahead.

"Jameston?" Oneakka asked. "Where are they taking the civilians for protection?"

"To the underground network," the young man replied over his shoulder.

"Where is the closest entrance to the underground network?" Oneakka asked, but suspected he had already seen the answer.

Jameston slowed his pace, breathing fast. "There," he indicated towards a slightly raised area at the centre of the wide square. "The hatch is locked from underneath, but the concealed walkways that were supposed to protect the civilians from the buildings to the central square's hatch had already been destroyed by the Wraith." Which left the public square open and anyone moving through it vulnerable to sweeper beams.

Oneakka could see the rubble remains of the basic pillars and basic roofs that had connected the surrounding buildings to the centrally placed hatch in the middle of the public square. Why had they been so stupid to put it central in the square?

They were almost level with the rubble now and Oneakka saw an Atreus guard was stood protecting the doorway out of one building into the square. There were plenty of windows looking out into the square from the four story building, so Oneakka stopped and peered into the darkness inside.

The glint of frightened civilian eyes were just discernible in the darkness.

"Isen?" Oneakka asked as he turned back from the glass. "What is wrong with the battalion's formation?" He asked, holding position, still under the overhang.

Isen, his breathing fast but still calm, looked back towards the few firing stations visible in the previous open square. Oneakka could see the man's eyes assessing the battalion, while Oneakka shifted his attention back up to the sky, Jameston hovering close by, no doubt silently questioning why they had stopped.

"Um," Isen uttered, his voice, and no doubt his throat, sounding dry. "They have set their firing stations in a staggered pattern to prevent maximum loss in event of Wraith strafing fire," the young man assessed out loud, "which is a good choice."

Oneakka nodded, but he was watching several Wraith fighters up above, seeing their weapons fire pounding down towards buildings nearby.

"What is there a lot of on Atreus?" He asked Isen as he fired up towards the belly of one fighter passing overhead.

Isen fired as well, but it was a little late.

"Buildings," Isen guessed. "They're targeting them."

"And what are in the buildings?" Oneakka prompted as he lowered his weapon and started back the way they had come, Isen and Jameston following along behind him.

Isen took a moment to work it out. "Civilians. They're inside and the Wraith are damaging the buildings to force them outside."

"Into sweeper beams," Oneakka concluded the obvious.

"Isn't there access to the tunnels from inside?" Isen asked, but the question was no doubt focused back towards Jameston.

"Yes, but with emergency alarms going, there are doorways sealed inside the buildings to prevent Wraith penetrating through the buildings. Many are trapped now the protective walkways are destroyed. But the local ground forces are guarding the doors, keeping civilians from running out into the beams.

Back to the first square, Oneakka stopped and shouted towards the firing stations. "Battalion Sup?" He shouted over the buzzing overhead.

Heads turned towards him, but the Supervisor was already hurrying forward, moving from the protection of each firing station in turn as he moved. "Yes, Honoured Elite?"

"I want five of these stations repositioned in the next square, forming a new walkway from the building to the square's tunnel hatchway," Oneakka ordered and then turned to Isen who was right behind him. "Go with Jameston to the ground command station and have a report for me when I get there," he ordered.

"Yes, Honoured Elite," Isen nodded and turned towards Jameston, who was watching as the firing stations were already being moved, the Military very well trained to move them quickly and efficiently.

"Where is the ground command station from here?" Oneakka asked Jameston.

"Through the square, through the atrium directly ahead and on the other side to the right of the square there. An overhang surrounded by trees," Jameston answered.

"Got it. Go!" Oneakka commanded them and ran forward to join the Military moving their firing stations. "In a line there," Oneakka ordered the battalion as they arrived in the rubble of one former protective walkway. "Set up several paces apart and I want four warriors inside, making sure to direct all civilians inside to come out this way."

"Yes, Honoured Elite" was said back from various mouths, but Oneakka focused on heading across the square to the raised protective edges of the hatchway so stupidly positioned in full view from above.

With one look up toward the sky, Oneakka dropped to one knee and pushed dust and parts of a broken slim pillar aside to reveal the sealed hatch.

A warrior dropped to her knee beside Oneakka, her gloved hands helping and then brushing away dust from the carved number on top of the hatch.

Oneakka glanced back to the firing stations being set up, almost all in position between the building and the hatch.

"This is Battalion zero-nine-five," the warrior beside Oneakka stated into her radio link. "We need hatchway entrance open zone twelve, hatchway seventeen," she panted as she brushed away more dust from around the hatchway.

Buzzing overhead snapped Oneakka's attention up even as the warriors near him shouted warnings.

A fighter was firing down into the first square, but blasts also began hammering into the corner of the building at the entrance to this square. Oneakka saw bricks and stone crumbling and heard screaming from somewhere, perhaps from inside the building.

The hatch was open though and one last firing station was already being set above it. The battalion were good, and Oneakka left them to the work as he dropped to one knee and aimed his weapon up towards the fighter targeting the two squares. He narrowed his eyes against the glare of the sun off one edge of the Wraith fighter as it rose up into the sky, performing a barrel roll to turn over and begin another attack run on them.

Some shade fell over him as a firing station was adjusted slightly, giving him protection he had not asked for, but the Military warriors were efficiently doing so without request.

Weapons fire from the firing stations in both squares shot up towards the Wraith fighter as it tore down towards the squares, its own fire slamming down into sand and stone again.

Oneakka held off from firing just yet, instead he waited, waited for the perfect shot.

The fighter took some impacts, one engine being targeted, but the Wraith inside was determined. The fighter turned away, still firing and then turned back, lining up the shot Oneakka needed.

On an out breath, Oneakka lined up his aim to the canopy, just to the point where an average Wraith's head would be within the fighter. On his in breath he fired several rapid shots to the same point. He saw the first two shots hit the canopy and the third go through it.

The fighter abruptly lost control and started dropping from the sky. At least one less fighter to haunt the skies.

Oneakka stood up and turned to see that the battalion were doing their work and already civilians were being led out from the building, moving quickly under one firing station to another. Oneakka watched as the first civilians reached the hatch just by him, several of them looking at him with desperate relief.

He turned to the closest warrior. "Get the order out to start sweeping all buildings for trapped civilians. They are to be taken underground immediately."

"Yes, Honoured Elite," the woman replied, but Oneakka was already turning away.

Hurrying down the square, he watched the bellies of fighters passing by overhead, hearing more blaster fire hitting the roofs of the buildings on either side. In his ear, he could hear the other Elite talking back and forth. Crashed Wraith were being dealt with and Koyo had made her way to Atreus' Governmental building.

So, he just needed to get to the ground command station.

The atrium Jameston had described was ahead, much of the glass walls broken, but that made it easier to head through the former glass doors, and out through to the next square.

This square was full of trees, and the command station off to the right was obvious. The upper levels of the next building overhung the ground floor, so there was a solid covered open space inside of which the command station had been established.

Oneakka moved his way between warriors watching out from under trees and some firing stations and finally entered the command station.

Isen was already here and was stood centrally around a portable display table. Multiple screens displayed various battles ongoing and running text on several others. Around the table were five Commanders, two of them Atreus forces and the rest Military battalion leaders. All of them looked towards him with clear experience in their eyes.

"Honoured Elite," they chorused, but most eyes quickly returned to the battle displays.

"Report," Oneakka demanded, mostly of Isen.

"There are currently one hundred forty seven Wraith fighters above here, Atreus' Portal city," Isen began his report efficiently, "while two hundred and fifty-three are attacking the most local Atreus Military base and have enacted massive damage there."

Oneakka nodded as he reached the display table and started running his eyes over the multitude of information.

"Other than here and the Military Base, there are no reports of Wraith attacking elsewhere on the planet. There are now four waves of our fighters engaging," Isen continued, "with two of them up in high orbit engaging the Hive."

Something obvious was missing from the display screens. "Where's a visual on the Hive?" Oneakka asked.

"As yet, we have no direct visual feed of the Hive," one of the Commanders replied. She was from Rosenthal, as was obvious by her uniform, but also because he had worked with the seasoned warrior several times before.

"In fact there are no clear readings from anything from low orbit upwards," Isen added.

"There is some strange radiation blocking clear scans of the Hive," the Rosenthal Commander added.

Oneakka snapped his eyes up from the screens to her. "What type of radiation?"

"We do not know yet," another Commander reported. "Only that it is interfering with audio and visual communications from orbit and beyond."

"At first we couldn't even communicate with Atreus defence ships and Alliance fighters in orbit due to the radiation, but we have just found three frequencies that provide audio communication with our people," the Rosenthal Commander reported. "It's still static filled, but at least we can coordinate."

"The Wraith have more fighters defending the Hive?" Oneakka asked.

"Our fighters and Atreus' defence ships report almost five hundred fighters engaging them," she replied.

"There's only one Hive?" He checked.

"Only one reported," someone answered him.

"But the fighters are reporting that the Hive has some strange features," Isen interjected. "They are estimating it to have an abnormally large hull, with what appears to be an unusual growth on one side that is possibly an extra engine pod."

An extra engine pod? Perhaps a new way of travelling? Could that explain its sudden arrival?

"Fighters and defence fleet are engaging, but they are reporting that though the Hive is taking heavy fire on the surface, its thick hull is holding," another Commander added. "So they are focusing fire on the Hive's fighter bays."

Oneakka nodded. The situation above orbit was in hand at least, but his focus needed to be on the ground. "How many Wraith on foot in the city?" He asked. They needed to know where to focus the newly incoming battalions and where he should go to help hold back the culling.

"None," the Rosenthal Commander replied, her voice firm and full of the same surprise Oneakka felt.

Oneakka frowned at her over the shifting lights of the display table. "There are no Wraith on the ground?" He had never heard of that before. They always swept down their own troops to cull.

"The only handful that did try to attack on foot were from crashed fighters," the Commander reported. "They have, so far, all been killed."

"The local Military Base reports the same," Isen put in. "No Wraith on the ground; instead they attacked the base with brutal precision from above from the onset of the battle."

"Trying to remove our ability to defend ourselves," one Atreus Commander noted bitterly.

Which made some sense, but why not land Wraith warriors and start culling there as well as here? And why no other cities? Atreus had a vast population to feed upon, some of the less urban areas had fewer defences too – easy targets.

"We have confirmed they are definitely Wraith?" Oneakka asked, a worrying thought occurring.

"Yes," Isen answered, the others probably not understanding why Oneakka would ask. "We have the bodies from the crashed ships."

Oneakka felt himself relax a fraction, despite the situation – for a moment he had feared that perhaps this was the unknown enemy. But, no, it was Wraith. Though, Wraith behaving differently, but then they had not attacked deep inside the Alliance before; it would make sense that they would adapt their strategy.

"Is there a focus to their attack or is it a city wide attack and sweep?" Oneakka asked next.

The Rosenthal Commander indicated several displays. "Initially they struck the Government Communication building and the area around the Portal with sky to ground fire and then began sweeping up civilians as they ran out of cover. Troops have kept them secure, but many are cut off from escape tunnel hatchways."

Oneakka nodded to the points she indicated on the displays. "I have the hatch behind here funnelling civilians out of local buildings. We need to extend the process across the city. I want battalion and local security to systematically work through the buildings-"

Something caught at Oneakka's attention in an instant and he turned, looking over his shoulder.

The buzzing was reducing, lowering, stopping.

He moved out from under the Command station's overhang to see the myriad of dark dots rising up into the sky, while, into his ear, various reports went back and forth.

" _...retreating up into orbit..._ "

" _...we have reports city wide and from the local base of all Wraith fighters leaving..._ "

The dark dots were rising up still, growing smaller. Oneakka turned and strode back to the display table, but already the Commanders were in communication with their people.

"We need all fighters to pursue," someone was saying.

"Engage, bring them down if you can," another order was stated.

"What's going on in orbit?" Oneakka demanded of the Rosenthal Commander.

"Frequency line 8814," she replied and Oneakka reached up to his armour's collar to pull out the tiny control module and tapped in the number of the frequency channel and new voices burst into his ear.

The static made it almost impossible to discern the different overlapping voices at first.

" _Wing One, I want all...around...left flank, don...let it bl...k us._ "

" _It's turnin...fast!_ "

" _Increase firepower...fighter bay...damag...re!"_

" _Ground Command, this is Wing...we...increas..._ "

The voices turned into loud static and Oneakka winced at the barrage of noise into his ear canal before the link piece automatically lowered the volume.

"Communications are filled with static on all frequencies now," one of the Commanders reported unnecessarily as he tapped through various screens. "Its' the radiation; we're picking it up at lower atmospheric levels now."

Oneakka leant forward over the table to see for himself.

"Wing Commands, can you read us?" The Rosenthal Commander was asking into her radio link. "I repeated, Ground Command to Wing Commands, respond urgently."

Oneakka waited, scanning the screens. Some were now full of static and useless.

" _Ground Command, this...wing...copy me?"_ A voice called into Oneakka's ear link.

"This is Ground Command, we hear you. Report," The Rosenthal Commander asked.

" _Headin...repor...now?_ "

"Repeat!"

Oneakka turned from the table and moved the few steps back to the edge of the Command Station again, aware of the strange sense of fearful silence around the square. Where were the Wraith fighters? Perhaps gathering up in orbit to return down here at killing speed? Or was the Hive going to bombard from orbit?

"Repeat Wing Command!"

" _...ou hear me now?"_ The fighter's pilot's voice suddenly made more sense. Oneakka pressed his hand to his ear, as if holding the ear piece was going to help him hear the response better.

"Yes, report," the Commander asked of the pilot.

" _The Hive is gone, Command,_ " the voice reported.

"Did you say the Hive is gone?"

" _Yes, the fighters came up from the surface and entered the fighter bays in breakneck speeds while the Hive was turning away, looking like it was going to flee. We pursued but then..._ " the man could be heard panting out a breath. " _There was a flash and then it was just gone_."

"Gone? The entire Hive?" Another Commander demanded.

Oneakka turned away, as he didn't need to hear anymore.

Stepping out from the overhang, he looked up into the bright sunny sky. He could just about make out a few Alliance fighters high up, distinctive by their oval shape, but nothing else.

The Hive had arrived from nowhere and then disappeared in a flash. It had to be some new engine, some new way of travel.

But why leave now? If they had the ability to arrive without detection and then disappear as quick...

In all his years fighting the Wraith, of witnessing a culling, he'd never seen the Wraith leave when they had the advantage.

And why no Wraith on the ground?

Why attack the most populated city on Atreus with the best defences? Why not the further out smaller and more vulnerable populace centres?

As quick and efficient as the Alliance response had been, it had not been enough to truly drive back the Hive and its fighters so quickly. Even a short culling should have lasted hours. Even if the Hive had waited until the closest Fleet battleships were inbound, then the Hive would still have had at least an hour to cull.

Which meant...this hadn't been a culling.

Had it been about inflicting damage? Inciting fear maybe? But the Wraith hadn't really achieved either of those here.

Which left one final answer.

It had been a test.

A test of Alliance battle responses and, perhaps, also a test of whatever it was that had allowed the Hive to appear and disappear into Alliance territory.

Which could only mean that there was more trouble ahead.

00000  
TBC


	16. The Cold Morning

00000

 **Chapter 16 – The Cold Morning**

Her first night alone in Atlantis had felt very long and broken. She knew she had slept deeply enough to dream, the imagery being the usual assortment of twisted battle memories and fears of losing those she loved, but Teyla remembered waking many times. The quarters had been deeply dark each time, the only light had emanated from the faintly glowing Ancestor crystals by the doors. Ketra's snores had been soft and steady from the mattress across the floor, and nothing else had stirred.

Perhaps it was the new room, the unusual smells and the faint coolness in the air which had kept waking her. Each time she had risen up onto one elbow, blinking into the dark as if seeking something. There had been nothing in the large quarters to worry her though, and each time she had settled back down and fallen asleep almost immediately.

Only when she woke to the first hints of early sunlight around the curtains over the Ancestor windows did she finally sit up. Everything had still been silent; Ketra was spread across her mattress, her long tail draped off along the floor, and her belly had been rising and lowering with a deep and steady sleep.

There had been no sounds from John's room either, the adjoining doorway between their quarters still open, and her electronic pad, connected to Si' a room away, remained dark.

The hour was still early, even by Atlantis' clock, but she had felt ready to rise. She had had enough sleep to replenish her enough and lying in bed any longer was not going to bring any further rest. So, she had padded quietly across her new room to her bathroom.

Leaning forward towards the slightly steamed mirror from her brief wash, Teyla considered her morning's attempt at braiding her hair. It looked good enough to be presentable, but she could see the faint touches of tiredness across her face. Presumably further nights staying here would help her relax to gain some proper sleep while in Atlantis. This had never been a problem during her last stay, but then she had not slept alone.

She ran a faintly damp hand over her hair, helping tuck away stray strands and considered her outfit in the bathroom mirror. She had selected one of her lighter outfits, since she had been a little overly warm here in the city yesterday. She was pleased that she had thought to bring a good assortment of clothing for this visit, and she planned to leave some of it here for her next stay.

It struck her, looking at her reflection peering back, that the outfit she had chosen today felt quite removed from her more Elite style of dressing and far more of Athos. There was no reason why that would matter to those of Atlantis, but she felt acutely aware of the fact herself. Though the point of her Political Marriage had been for the Alliance as a whole, within the contract she now represented Athos as much as she did the Elite. Today's outfit seemed to reinforce that truth for her.

It was probably the strangely broken night and the odd feeling of faint homesickness that made her over think too much on the subject. She had brought the small kettle in here with her, so she filled it with fresh water from the tap and waved her hand over the single crystal for the bathroom's door.

The room outside remained as silent at before, with no new sounds from John's room, but there was one thing missing. Ketra was gone from the mattress. A brief glance around the quarters confirmed that Ketra was nowhere to be seen, which meant that there was only one place she could be.

Smiling faintly to herself, Teyla set the kettle onto its holder, triggered it to boil, and then moved quietly across the large empty floor to reach the open doorway into John's quarters. There was the hushed deep silence of sleep inside even before she reached the threshold into his space.

As predicted, Ketra was in there, though she had restrained herself from climbing up onto John's bed; instead, Ketra had elected to lie on the floor alongside his bed, her chin resting on the edge of his mattress and she appeared to be asleep again. John was sleeping on his side, his back turned to the doorway and Ketra, but it was clear from the slow and steady rise and fall of his side that he had not been disturbed awake by Ketra's arrival.

Leaning her shoulder against the doorframe, Teyla considered whether there was any need to call Ketra away from him. Ketra clearly hadn't disturbed him, and John always seemed to enjoy Ketra's company, even if that had involved the creature taking over much of his mattress on occasion. He hadn't appeared to be upset at Ketra's insistent scratching at his door last night either, for which Teyla was grateful. Fortunately, John's suggestion of keeping the adjoining door open had resolved the problem and Ketra had, as far as Teyla was aware, slept the rest of the night on her own mattress.

So, it was probably fine to let Ketra stay by John's side for awhile.

And perhaps allow herself to take in the sights of John's space.

Teyla let her gaze slide away, running her eyes around the details of his new quarters. The low light level meant that she could not see everything, but she could recognise quite a few objects from his previous quarters. She smiled at the bag of his golf clubs, recalling Si' confused question about them last night.

She returned her gaze to John, watching his side move with his breath.

She could recall all too vividly what it felt like to feel him breathing against her, to hear his heart beating through his chest to her ear. He had always felt warm and comfortable against her when they had shared a bed to sleep, and one of his arms had nearly always been draped over her, regardless of the position they had been sleeping in.

The soft memories felt oddly sharp in detail as if they had been only yesterday, when in truth it had been many long and tense weeks since she had last shared a bed with John.

Much had been repaired in those weeks, but the distance, as small as it might appear to some perhaps, felt achingly vast between them still.

She had been nervous to come here, to stay in Atlantis, not because of where the City was or the political weight of her stay, but because this was John's home. Though he was from a distant planet in another galaxy that she would likely never see, she knew that he felt Atlantis to be his home. During her visits here before, whether brief or on her longer stay for the Non-Aggression Treaty talks, it had been obvious to her how much more relaxed John was here.

That fact had been particularly evident last night as they had said goodnight to each other. He had appeared through the adjoining doorway dressed for bed. Dressed in dark soft clothing which had hugged close to the lines of his lean strong form, his hair slightly more dishevelled than normal, he had smiled at her with darkened, kind, and peaceful eyes. The lines of his shoulders had been low and relaxed, his smile easy, and his feet bare against the decorated Ancestor floor.

She could not recall him appearing so much his true self as last night, and in his good humour and patience with Ketra, he only made himself seem more...tempting. Somehow he had been able to tell of her slight disquiet in feeling out of place here, and his clear and intuitive insight into her had made her want to step forward into the obvious promise of his embrace even more.

She had held back, but the brief light touch of his fingers against her elbow had been enough to spark the remembered power between them. Despite all the angry words, the bitter truths of the mistakes they had made and the fears of future problems if they returned to the love they had shared... Despite them all, the moment had held full of potential again and the temptation of the warmth between them.

Yes, that had been what she had feared in coming here. She had fooled herself to think it might have been simply been awkwardness of the new politics of their marriage that had made her cautious, or that she was going to have to stay so long in this alien city. Yet, she had stayed in all manner of places alien and still maintain her calm. Even on the edge of a battlefield she had been able to relax enough to rest to replenish her energies.

No, here, the battleground was over her own feelings.

It was in that war that she had managed to step away from him last night, but she feared at her resilience in holding back for another six days in the City with John.

Yet, despite these very thoughts, here she stood watching him sleep.

Yes, this battle was with herself far more than it was with facts and fears over what her and John could face as a couple again.

And she had seen in his eyes last night that he was considering the same.

She forced herself to pull her shoulder away from the doorframe and turn away from his sleeping peace. Away from her own temptation.

What kind of war was it where both sides secretly wanted to surrender!

She moved away from the doorway, leaving Ketra to be the one to sleep at John's side, and stood alone in the quiet darkness of her own room. She took a deep breath and forced her mind to focus on her work. She had another day ahead of political conversations, trade discussions, and polite smiles.

She moved towards the low table and turned the kettle back on as she had missed its first boil. Settling herself down onto the floor, she poured fresh bubbling water over a large pinch of her Athosian tea leaves. She inhaled the fragrance, which was just slightly different here, no doubt due to the water in Atlantis. Last night's tea had tasted lovely, but she was aware of the difference still. But, it was still the smell of her own home and her usual morning rituals.

Settling her legs into a comfortable crossed position and readied herself for her morning meditation. It was standard procedure for all Seekers to meditate at least once a day, to sink into the part of them that could feel the Wraith. She had no doubt that there would a complete lack of a Wraith mind in Atlantis, but it was still procedure and wise to undertake.

She closed her eyes, drawing her mind away from the confused and sensitive thoughts of John, away from the soft empty places of her body, and the air across her bare arms, and sank down inside of herself.

The coolness slowly drifted up over her, filling her consciousness, and awareness of the room around her slid away. Like lowering into water chilled by a long night, Teyla dropped further down into the deepening cold. She no longer feared that coldness, having been entering this place within herself for decades now.

As always, she envisioned this space as a deep ocean around her, and she opened her eyes into the imagery, looking out into the dark blue of the water. Moving her arms through the slim shards of light piecing through from the water's surface above her, she turned, sweeping her mind and her gaze through the water. Nothing stirred, as expected, and she leant forward, tilting herself to swim down deeper.

She imagined sweeping her arms forward, propelling herself further down into the ocean, feeling the cold growing against her skin, but she felt no panic. There was no fear here anymore, for she knew this place well enough now. Sliding down through the ocean, the vast emptiness instead felt peaceful.

Yet, somewhere, she felt something moving.

She halted her descent, holding still in the water, swinging her arms around her as she sought out the direction of the movement.

There, just brushing up against the edge of her awareness, she felt the touch of another's mind.

But, it was a familiar and peaceful presence. Si.

He was heading up from the depths of his own seeking meditation and their minds brushed one another as he did. She felt him send a sense of acknowledgement and care for her, and also then a questioning sense. There were no real ways to describe to a non-Seeker the sensations of mind and emotions she felt in this place, but she had long ago accepted the language of it here.

She sent Si a sense of reassurance and greeting towards him, and felt his resulting satisfaction. And then he was sliding away, lifting up out of his meditation to his own room next door. She knew that he would now wash and have his own morning tea, as was his ritual.

But, for her, she had some further meditation to complete, and returned her attention to swimming down further.

The light from above barely penetrated these depths, though she could always see clearly enough, and the chill and pressure of ocean grew stronger the deeper she swam. However, none of that disturbed her here.

After some time, she reached a ledge jutting out over a deeper chasm and she imagined touching her feet down to the strangely warm sand of the ledge. Sweeping her arms calmly out to her sides, she held still and looked out into the ocean around her. Si would already have done this, and clearly he had sensed no Wraith, but she still undertook the same procedure.

There was a faint shimmer in feeling on the very edge of the distant waters, but it was so far away that she knew it was no threat. So she simply drew in the peaceful quiet. She closed her eyes to the waters and drank in the sense of comfort.

After an immeasurable passing of time, she felt a sense of something at the edge of her awareness. A familiar feeling that she knew was Ketra close to her meditating body. Opening her eyes to the water, she was able to draw her awareness of Ketra into her meditation.

The ocean became a warm summer's day in the old forest camp in the Athosian forest. In the open glen, the tents behind her, Teyla felt the warm ground under her and felt Ketra's chin rest on her distant leg. So, she allowed that imagery into her meditation and imagined settling her hand along Ketra's sun-warmed back. The smells of Athos filled her senses, the incense on the breeze, the steaming cooking pots, the scent of the dry soil, and the soft distant sense of her people moving around nearby.

Except, perhaps not so distant.

She became aware of something else, just on the edge of her awareness. She imagined turning her face from the Athosian sun and looking to her left to where the trees and tents began.

She became aware, somehow, that it was John and that he was stood in the adjoining doorway between their rooms, but suddenly he was also here in her meditation. He was not much more than a warm shape within her mind's sense of him, but she had never drawn anyone else other than Ketra or a fellow Seeker into this space before.

He was moving now, pulling back and turning away, and she knew that he had returned to his room. He would simply have seen her sitting crossed legged and meditating, so he was returning to his morning preparations and was noticeably quiet in doing so.

She watched the sun drenched shape of him within her mind, imagining him moving along the tree-line, stepping into their shared tent-

She pulled away from that thought, drawing her mind back suddenly into the ocean. Cold replaced warm Athosian sun, and the deep empty sea in place of the family of the forest camp.

Calm returned, but she felt Ketra stir slightly against her leg. A sense of needing to draw this meditation to a close came to her, that the day was soon to start and so she needed to start to draw her awareness back to her quarters.

She took one last moment to draw in the cold space and then pushed off the sandy ledge. Sweeping her arms ahead of her and kicking her feet, she rose slowly up through the space of her mind and sunlight began to filter down to her.

As she rose up further, she became gradually more aware of her body, of Ketra's shoulder shifting against the outside of her leg and faint sounds that were probably John in his room. The promise of the day ahead shone above as she kicked harder, propelling herself faster until she burst up out of the cold, breaching up into the sunlight and open air once again.

She fluttered open her heavy eyelids to the sight of the low table and her mug of untouched tea in front of her. She cleared her throat faintly and reached for the mug. It was far cooler against her fingers, telling of the length of time she had been meditating.

As she swallowed down a sweet mouthful of the tea, she stroked her free hand along Ketra's back, and looked off towards the open doorway into John's room. She could definitely hear him moving around now and the curtains had been lifted from his windows, filling his room with bright sunlight.

"Good morning, John," she called to him, her voice slightly softer than expected from her relaxation.

John appeared into the doorway almost immediately, his head and shoulders only at first. He grinned at her and the rest of him appeared into view. He was dressed in his uniform and looked ready for the day ahead.

"Mornin'," he smiled. "I didn't disturb you, did I?" He indicated where she sat as he took a few steps forward across the threshold into her room.

"No," she assured him. "I hope Ketra did not wake you?" She asked in turn.

"Nah," John waved it away. "It's not a normal day with you two if I don't wake up to staring up a dragon's nostril."

She could do nothing back laugh at the truth of that comment, as joking as it had been. It made her feel ever so happy that he didn't mind Ketra, and that, in fact, the two appeared to care a great deal for each other.

"You sleep okay?" He asked.

"Mostly," she told him honestly. "Would you like some morning tea?" She offered.

"I would," he started to answer, "but we're due to go to the political breakfast thingy in five minutes." He checked his watch timepiece. "Actually four minutes."

She nodded and climbed up from the floor. She really had been meditating for a long time this morning. "Then we should depart."

Her legs felt faintly achy as she stood and moved across the room to her things. She secured her holster around her waist and slid the stunner into it, before reaching for her single sword scabbard for her back.

"You look nice," John commented from her right, surprising her, and she looked round at him to see that he looked a little surprised himself. "I mean, more Athosian," he explained as he indicated her. She realised he was referring to her clothes.

He had noticed so quickly.

"Thank you," she replied as she secured her sword in place. It occurred to her only now that the cropped edge of her top revealed some of her bare waist. John probably considered that the 'nice' part.

"Not that you don't always look nice," he added.

"Not so much in my "Elite get up", as I recall you referred to it," she queried, amused as she pressed her feet into her boots.

"Um," John replied hesitantly, no doubt worrying that his previous comments had insulted her. They had not.

She smiled round at him to let him know that she was teasing him. "In moving the contents of my wardrobe into my new quarters in the Governing Complex, I rediscovered some clothing I had forgotten I had made a few years ago during a recovery stay with my family," she explained.

"Would that be out of the wardrobe I hid in that time?" He checked.

She had to smile at that memory as she rolled her shoulders, dressed and ready to depart for her second day in Atlantis. Except there was one more morning ritual to perform.

She moved towards John and lifted her hands up towards his shoulders to initiate their now common sharing of her people's greeting. She saw that he understood what she was intending, but there had been a moment where he had stilled, perhaps thinking that she was moving to embrace him instead.

His hands lifted to her shoulders willingly though and he smiled as they dipped their heads forward to touch their foreheads together.

"Good morning, Husband," she stated as she touched her forehead to his, paused a moment, and then drew her head back again.

"Morning, Wife," he grinned. "You ready for another thrilling day in Atlantis?"

His shoulders felt warm and his shirt crisp and clean under her fingers as she slid her hands unwillingly from him.

His hands slid from her shoulders a second later, though she thought that they had trailed a little further down her arms than usual. But it was probably just her imagination.

He was very close again, closer than last night.

She made herself step back from him, turning so to make it appear that she was simply going to lead them towards the exit out of her quarters.

"I am sure it will, indeed, be thrilling," she smiled up at him, using his own tool of humour to help soothe the moment.

He moved forward with her though, smiling as they walked towards the door. "It'll have golf in it," he lifted his eyebrows with exaggerated excitement.

She chuckled as she reached for the crystals at the doorway, but a sense of reluctance passed through her. Once the doors opened, they would need to once again play their roles of Political Husband and Wife. Despite her own warring feelings, she knew she would far prefer to stay in here with him all day, talking, laughing and sitting a little closer than they had been of late.

She waved her hand over the door crystals – no, perhaps it was better that she focus her attention on their work.

But, then the likely boring political day ahead would soon lead to another shared evening together anyway.

That was some comfort at least.

0000

The room was crowded around Halling, but reports and opinions were expressed without chaos or arrogance. Such was the way with his fellow Elite. Efficient reporting and then brief comments back and forth were the normal. It was not always that way with the rest of the Alliance Military of course, but that was not Halling's current concern. Instead, he remained the Lead for the night, coordinating the Alliance's highest level of alert for their entire territory.

Following the unusually short culling on Atreus, there had been no further sighting of the Hive in question. Though that was positive news in some respects, it had not lessened the concern and anxiety across the Alliance's many Governments and the two Councils.

What had been depressingly well timed had been the news from Amduat's sector. The scout bot had returned scans of the region with enough clarity to show that Amduat was no longer there. There was instead a vast spread of debris and the same radiation as detected over Atreus.

The conclusion was obvious, though exact evidence was in short supply. The Hive that attacked Atreus had used some new form of tech, which presumably was what was emitting the new strange radiation, and it explained how Amduat could be attacked so easily. In its position – former position – Amduat's sensitive detectors would have registered any normal approach, but this new tech had allowed the Hive to reach Amduat without triggering a distress signal or warning.

Though, the question had already been posed as to whether it would have been the exact same Hive that attacked Atreus. There was no immediate way of telling, but, as there had been no other cullings since, the best estimate was that there was one single Hive using a new piece of tech. If so, then there was just one Hive to deal with.

For now though, the immediate concern was on preparing and protecting the Alliance's vast number of planets, moons, and space stations from further attack. They had at least found some radio link frequencies that could cut through most of the new radiation's interference, and the very best scientists were gathering and analysing all the readings captured from Atreus and from the scout bot near Amduat.

Halling ran his eyes over his monitors which were feeding information in to him from various planets and military bases. Elite were being stationed on as many planets and moons as possible, and a large contingency had joined Deployment Station. Everything was pretty much in place, but the truth was that they were still uncertain what they were up against.

"...Deployment Station is fully stocked, all battalions are primed and ready," someone was reporting the latest update to the crowded room, but Halling kept his gaze running over the latest data analysis.

"Can we not spare any more of the Fleet's ships?" Young Isen asked from across the room. It was an obvious question and an obvious answer, but his youth and lesser experience allowed him to express the concern.

"No," Massa was the one to answer with a shake of his head as he watched his own monitors.

" _We are extended as far along the border as possible_ ," a voice emanated up from a speaker, spoken from the Satedan Fleet ship The Ballista, which was working with the Hastos Son in coordinating the Military Fleet. " _The Cruisers attacked en mass along the border here at precisely the same time as the Hive arrived over Atreus_ ," the Satedan Commander reported.

"Is the Hive from the former Nest System?" Isen asked.

"No," Halling reported as he finally looked up from his monitors. "The scans confirm that it is a newly identified Hive, even taking into account the clear adaptations to its hull."

Isen nodded, but Halling saw the man's frown. Halling tapped a command on the main terminal in front of him, sending the link to the latest scan comparisons to Isen's personal electronic pad for his own analysis. Other Elite would simply look, but Isen was not yet sure of his place.

" _That the Cruisers are still conducting running raids worries us,_ " the Satedan voice added.

Every Elite head in the small room all nodded in agreement.

"We have every non-planetary defence ship ready for deployment, but as we do not know where the Hive could reappear," Halling left the rest of the unnecessary sentence unspoken.

A light shone up from a smaller screen, but Maja quickly reported what Halling saw. "Atreus is back on link, now through the Portal."

"Put them through to us," Halling ordered. "This is Facility," Halling said into the quiet room as soon as Maja nodded. "Halling as Lead."

" _Koyo here_ ," the female's familiar voice rose up from a speaker set into the large central console. Knowing Atreus well and having been the Elite to work with the Government there during the culling, she was now the assigned Elite to Atreus for this crisis.

"Latest?" Halling requested.

" _Nothing new_ ," Oneakka's voice was the one to answer over the Link though. He had remained on Atreus with Koyo, helping with the clean up of the crashed Wraith fighters.

"Any further fighters or ground troops?" Halling checked. The Wraith had been known to occasionally leave warriors behind to attack a population later.

" _Nothing_ ," Oneakka confirmed. " _The civilian Seekers you sent in have confirmed it_."

Halling nodded. "Understood."

" _We have managed to download further scan readings from the individual Atreus Defence ships' databases_ ," Koyo put in. " _I'm sending through what we have. We are currently working on the sentry satellite data, but those closest to where the Hive arrived were purposefully targeted by Wraith weapons fire. However, we have recovered several database recorders from the debris and Atreus scientists are retrieving what they can. As soon as we have anything further, we will send it through_."

"Understood," Halling replied as he tapped one screen, authorising the direct download of the data from Atreus via the Portal. "Data receiving," he confirmed and added the command for its immediate relay to those analysing everything received from Atreus and Amduat so far.

" _We still have strong radiation readings in orbit and especially in the region where the Hive arrived and then departed_ ," Koyo continued.

" _So, nothing new_ ," Oneakka repeated his assessment again.

"We have some new information to add to it though," Halling reported to the speakers.

" _Another attack_?" Koyo asked worriedly.

"Nothing since Atreus, but we have now received back the data scans from the scout bot that was sent in to scan Amduat's sector," Halling told them. "We have confirmed that the radiation that was blocking readings of Amduat is the same as the Hive emitted above Atreus."

"And _Amduat_?" Oneakka's voice sounded as if he already knew what the answer would be.

Halling let out a breath. "Completely destroyed."

" _Amduat is half the galaxy's distance away from Atreus_!" Oneakka stated. It was a slight exaggeration, but the essence of the comment was true enough.

"The scout bot did not detect any Wraith ships, and the radiation levels recorded there had noticeably reduced by the end of the bot's journey as compared with initial readings. The technicians here are working on calculations to judge the reduction speed of the radiation. If you can send us regular readings of the radiation over Atreus, it will help."

" _Not a problem_ ," Koyo replied and there was some faint chatter.

" _Anything new on how the Hive arrived here_?" Oneakka asked over the background discussion.

Halling returned his attention to the latest analysis results on his screen – nothing had changed in the last few minutes. "We have confirmed, again, that the Hive was not registered crossing any border and was not detected on any sentry satellites anywhere else until it appeared over Atreus. We are assuming that the radiation is emitted by this new tech, and since we have not detected it anywhere else in our territory, it implies that the Hive did not sneak in."

" _Unless the radiation is produced only when they uncloak themselves from this concealing tech?_ " Koyo suggested.

"If so, why uncloak at all?" Massa asked to the room from Halling's left. "They had the upper hand, and showing themselves gave Atreus warning."

"Perhaps they could not launch their fighters while cloaked?" Someone else suggested.

Halling tapped into the latest running data from the scientific team out of the Mad Moon that was analysing what they had so far on the new tech. "Actually," he informed the room, "the latest analysis of what little we managed to capture shows readings closer to that of a Portal than anything else."

"A wormhole drive?" Massa asked doubtfully as he too read the report.

" _Those are purely theoretical, at best_ ," the Ballista's Commander entered back into the conversation.

" _Everything is theoretical until someone makes it work_ ," Oneakka put in.

"Wormhole drives are theoretically possible," Halling read out from the screen.

"If they could work, why did the Ancestors not use them?" Isen posed the question.

" _Halling_ ," Koyo said through the speaker, " _the latest orbital radiation scans are coming through now_."

"Receiving," Halling reported as he tapped confirmation for the download and, again, redirected the data to go immediately to the technicians.

" _If the tech uses wormholes, why have we never detected similar radiation from the Portal system_?" The Satedan Commander demanded.

"The technical questions will be addressed by our scientists," Halling cut in to keep matters focused. "For now, we are going with the assumption that the new abnormal growth near one of the Hive's drive pods, is the new tech," Halling addressed the room.

" _The growth was noted during the orbital battle_ ," Koyo reported, " _It was targeted, but the super reinforced hull showed little sign of damage. Far better results were gained by firing on the still standard fighter bay entrances. There were signs of real damage taken on the left flank bay before the Hive disappeared_."

"Good," Halling nodded, knowing his voice would be heard by almost all Elite listening in now and later on recording. "Then that will be our target on any further attack; we need to exploit that same weak point. We have shared out across the Alliance the link frequencies that cut through the radiation most efficiently on Atreus. The only problem is that will restrict the number of link frequencies that can be used during an attack. Therefore, strict control of frequencies must be initiated."

" _That is assuming that there is only one Hive with this tech_ ," Oneakka voiced the worryingly unknown.

"True," Halling conceded. "But until we know further, our response will be no different. Everyone has their assignments and any and all new information on the scans, radiation, or Hive will be immediately communicated to all."

All eyes in the room lifted to him.

"This meeting is concluded," Halling signed off and reached forward to end the official recording. Lights began flickering off signalling the many Elite having been listening in now ending their link in. One light still shone. "Oneakka?" Halling asked into the speaker.

" _Here_ ," Oneakka replied immediately.

"How is Atreus?" Halling asked.

" _Considering what's happened, its calm enough here. Most civilians are still down in the tunnel networks. They'll probably stay there for another day, just in case the Hive returns here_."

"Good," Halling agreed.

" _This doesn't make sense,_ " Oneakka muttered. " _Why attack and destroy Amduat?"_

"It is a powerful listening post," Halling considered. "Perhaps they wanted to take it out first."

" _If their new tech can deliver them into the middle of our territory without being detected, what's the point_?" Oneakka asked logically.

"Maybe attacking Amduat was a safe attack point for their first use of the tech," Halling considered. "Or perhaps removing the listening post will allow further Wraith ships to arrive that are not using the new tech."

" _Maybe_ ," Oneakka muttered, but Halling could tell Oneakka was not convinced.

"The Amduat region would be a good point of attack, considering that it is on the edge of the galaxy and our territory."

" _Flank us from there as well as the other sides of our border_?" Oneakka considered. " _Maybe. But even if that is the case, by destroying Amduat, they're just drawing more attention to that sector. We've got ships headed there now and they will watch the surrounding areas closely enough_."

"True," Halling replied, but he wasn't sure what other theory he could suggest right now. "Are you staying on Atreus?" He checked.

" _There's not much else to do here_. _Koyo will stay as the assigned Elite, so I'll head back in to the Facility soon_ ," Oneakka replied.

"Good," Halling replied. "I have a scheduled Link to the Military Council in a few minutes, so I will see you here shortly."

" _Understood_ ," Oneakka replied. " _Still doesn't make much sense_ ," Halling heard him mutter just before the link closed.

Halling straightened up from the monitors and took the free moment to stretch his back. Massa moved closer, leaning one hand on the top of the consoles.

"A wormhole drive?" Massa said worriedly as he shook his head.

"I pray to the Ancestors that is not the case," Halling sighed.

"That kind of drive could change everything," Massa said quietly. "Imagine the Wraith being able to jump into our territory anywhere they wanted." He sighed loudly. "I never thought I would hear myself say this, but I'm hoping the Wraith have cloaking tech instead."

Halling had to agree. Though, preferably, he'd rather the Wraith had neither.

Considering the impending appearance of the unknown ancient enemy Sitayi had warned him about, the last thing the Alliance needed was for the Wraith to develop some new dangerous game changing tech.

If he was still alive to worry about it by then.

00000  
TBC


	17. The Secrets

**Chapter 17 – The Secrets**

The room set aside for the new project smelt sharp to Ladon's nose, as every surface was being thoroughly cleaned ready for the space to be used to build Cowen's new military satellite.

Ladon had selected a small team for the work, selecting some of the very best of technicians and engineers from his staff. They would do excellent work, but also at a pace that would ensure precision and thereby allow him to delay the satellite's launch for as long as possible.

Well, that had been his thought until the alert from Atreus had been spread across the Alliance. Now, the satellite he was designing with his team seemed to take on a new important role. Ironically though, the events on Atreus had provided him with an instant cover story for why he was building the military orbital satellite, and already he had heard his team whispering about how important their work was to defend the homeworld. He felt a touch of shame to know the true nature of the satellite; that Cowen intended to use it on Second City if the riots and civic uprising did not die down. Hopefully though, by the time the satellite was constructed, Cowen would be removed and Kolya with him, and the satellite would be purely for defence.

Not to target the Genii population.

Stood with his back to the room, Ladon was making an inventory of some supplies he had found in the room, while his team worked on scrubbing the room clean. There would be several more cleans before the room would be ready for the more delicate electronics to be installed later, and, once that stage was reached, only his team would be able to enter while dressed in protective clothing. For now though, the door into the room was open and technicians were moving in and out, carrying out dirty buckets and bringing in fresh water for the clean, while others were measuring the dimensions of the room and discussing how best to lay out the construction.

All were busy and working efficiently, which allowed Ladon to stand alone as he worked while watching the constantly flowing details from Atreus. The news links were filled with every civilian level detail coming out of Atreus, and the released footage of the attack was replaying almost constantly.

Ladon was old enough to remember the days of cullings on the Genii homeworld, and he had been part of several strike teams working outside Alliance space at various points in his military years, so he had seen Wraith before. He knew the teeth-aching buzz of the Wraith's fighters and the rushing cry of their sweeper beams. But, to see such things over Atreus...

It brought a fear up into his gullet the like of which he had not felt in a long time.

He had visited Atreus' portal city only a few months ago when attending a scientific forum; he had walked through the open public squares that he saw on the recordings, but in them there were Wraith fighters overhead, people screaming, and energy blasts shaking the camera operators' hands as pieces of buildings fell into the squares.

Atreus had comparable defence forces as here on the Genii homeworld. If Atreus could be attacked so easily, then so could his own people.

The announcer on the news link reported a new series of captured imagery, released by the Atreus Government from their street camera systems. The recordings played showing the Alliance Military shepherding civilians from buildings out to hatchways down into Atreus portal city's underground network system. On the edge of the images, several Elite warriors could be seen moving through the frame, giving commands to the Military forces and firing up into the sky above them.

Clearly the response by Atreus, the Military, and the Elite had been effective, but, as part of the Genii Government, Ladon knew the truth released by the Military; the Hive in question was using some new form of technology that had allowed them to appear above Atreus completely undetected.

The same, then, could very easily happen here.

Outside of the pure fear of such an attack, Ladon worried that Kolya's manipulations, which were destabilising the populace's coherence and seeding defiance, might reduce the Genii' ability to respond effectively if the Wraith attacked here. Or would this new threat instead unify the people back under Cowen's leadership?

Both instances could be fatal for the cause and for the Genii. As much as Ladon struggled with Kolya's increasingly irrational decisions to damage the Genii people in order to defeat Cowen, the chances that Cowen might overcome and return his iron-will over the populace was just as worrying. As long as Kolya was able to overthrow Cowen, then Ladon and his closest co-conspirators could ensure that Kolya did not become Supreme Leader himself; replacing one brutal dictator with another would achieve nothing for the Genii people.

Much of this regularly played on Ladon's mind each night anyway, but now, to have a new very real threat from the Wraith again...it brought all of it into a worryingly new uncertainty. There was no point in defeating Cowen only for the Genii people to fall.

On the edge of Ladon's view, he saw Sora shift in her sentry point leant against the nearby wall; someone had entered the room and had caught her attention. Her subtle shift of body weight communicated to him that the footsteps approaching Ladon's back were friendly, but belonged to someone that Sora did not trust entirely.

Ladon looked round just as the boots arrived and Hulte stepped up next to him.

"Radim," Hulte nodded faintly. "I see the work is progressing apace already."

The question was filled with subtle extra questions. Ladon had made his co-conspirators aware of the true nature of the satellite build, and no doubt that information would reach Kolya's ears in no time.

"It will take plenty of time to prepare the room, let alone construct the satellite," Ladon replied, shifting his attention back to the small screen on which was replaying the recordings from Atreus. They were many hours old now, but as more recordings were released, it seemed as if the event were still ongoing. Where was the Hive now? That was the real question.

"You have seen the latest footage?" Hulte asked, shifting subtly closer; to the rest of the room behind them, they were simply watching the news links together and discussing how best to protect their people.

"Yes," Ladon replied indicating the screen with a large wingnut he had fished out of a mixed box of components. "Is there anything new from Atreus Government channels?"

"No," Hulte replied, his voice lowering. "The new tech is still unknown, but the Elite and Battle Station have plans in place if the Wraith attack again."

Ladon nodded. "We have implemented all their instructions; the sentry satellites have been updated with the new radiation readings so will pick up even the faintest trace above and beyond our orbit. The military link frequencies suggested have all been cleared and are reserved ready for use."

Hulte nodded. "The Genii will hold," he said with a determined tone. "Though, this situation is, perhaps, very well timed for us."

Ladon shifted his gaze from the screen to Hulte, uncertain what he meant.

"If our _friend_ is able to implement his plan soon, the capture may be well timed. The Elite will be distracted with this," Hulte all but whispered as he indicated the news links and a new recording playing."

Ladon still had his serious doubts about the wisdom of Kolya's plan – the plan to capture Major Sheppard was one thing before, but now the man was the Political Husband of an Elite warrior...

"Elite Emmagan will be battling Wraith rather than looking for her Political partner," Hulte concluded.

"Except our intention is to assist Atlantis," Ladon whispered back.

"To give them information yes," Hulte responded, "but the longer our friend keeps the captive the more likely it will be that the Elite will help in the hunt. This development could help-"

Sora coughed loudly, cutting through the rest of Hulte's words, and she straightened her back sharply.

Ladon looked round quickly towards the door behind him and Hulte, to see Cowen coming to a halt just inside the room. All of Ladon's team paused in their work, thrown for a moment by the sudden arrival of the Supreme Leader.

"Cowen," Ladon smiled at the man, making sure to school his features to hide all he could. Cowen was far across the room – there was no way he could have overheard what Hulte and he were talking about.

Hulte turned as well, a grim look sent towards Cowen. "Have you seen these latest images, Cowen?" He asked as he indicated Ladon's display screen. They were just two concerned members of Cowen's Government.

"I have," Cowen replied, but his eyes fixed on Ladon. "Ladon, outside now," he commanded and turned away, marching back out of the room, his two bodyguards following in his wake.

Ladon's heart caught a little in his chest. Cowen couldn't suspect anything, could he?

Ladon met Hulte's slightly worried eyes, and moved forward towards the door. As he did, Ladon smiled across the room to his team, all of whom looked quite concerned. Perhaps they thought something was happening overhead in orbit, or that a new riot was raging somewhere.

"Return to your work, everyone," Ladon reassured them. "I shall return in a moment."

All being well.

The corridor outside was quiet, with only Cowen stood off to the left and several more bodyguards stood close by.

Ladon moved towards Cowen, acutely aware of the number of weapons carried by the bodyguards and that, should he need a way to escape, that there were few options here.

Cowen turned to face Ladon, the Leader's hands held together behind his back, which served to make the man's wide shoulders seem even bigger.

Ladon worked to look curious and subservient. Surely Cowen could not suspect him, could he?

"Explain to me, Ladon," Cowen began, his tone full of judgement and superiority, "why the sentry satellite we discussed has been turned back around."

Relief washed over Ladon – this was just about the sentry satellite over Second City.

"The Military Council orders stated that all satellites needed to be aligned and updated with the radiation data they provided-" Ladon began to explain.

"Surely we have enough satellites to cover the area around our world, Ladon," Cowen interrupted, the sarcastic tone hardly new from the Supreme Leader, but Ladon sensed a new element of danger in it today.

"Of course," Ladon agreed. "I just simply followed the commands of the Military Council-." Why would anyone argue otherwise considering the situation?

"The Military Council do not rule here, Ladon," Cowen replied. " _I do_."

"Of course," Ladon lowered his eyes slightly, playing the role he needed to. He realised that he had inadvertently brought the wingnut with him and he was turning it nervously in his fingertips. The tiny movement felt helpful somehow though. "I should have checked with you, I apologise, Cowen. I did not think."

"No, you did not," Cowen returned, but his tone was faintly softer now; his anger sliding away. "I suggest that you use that big brain of yours to focus on your scientific work and get that new satellite built quickly."

"Yes, Cowen," Ladon replied, bowing his head. "I apologise again." He gripped the wingnut tightly in one hand, holding in the more logical arguments. Surely watching Second City was hardly as important as having as many sensors as possible watching for the Wraith.

"Get the satellite turned back around. Now," Cowen ordered.

"Yes, Cowen," Ladon agreed.

"And I want an update on the surveillance before nightfall over Second City," Cowen added.

"Yes, Cowen," Ladon repeated again.

Cowen let out a light grunt of satisfaction as he turned away.

"Focus yourself on your work, Ladon," Cowen stated as he marched away down the stone hallway, his loyal bodyguards close on his heels. "Leave the defence of our people to me."

00000

Long Sleep's hands had finally stopped shaking a short while ago, which was fortunate because there were significant repairs required for the Hive. The work was helping him, as it had been giving him focus outside of the turning fearful thoughts he worked hard to keep concealed.

A Skerti Queen was at the heart of the Hive! And it was a broken and damaged Hive full of half asleep sickly warriors and drones.

He was the only one, presumably, that knew the truth, but he had to keep that hidden within the walls of his mind. He could not let the Queen's vast mind focus on him again, for if she knew that he knew what she was, then she would kill him quickly. Though, even if he kept out of her attention, that did not resolve the problem. If something was not done, the Hive and all onboard were doomed.

But what to do?

What could he do, a warrior alone? He doubted that any of the others around him could help, for it was clear that their mental and physical health was deteriorating further. The Keepers around him were working hard, but he could see them blinking repeatedly, struggling to keep their minds alert and their eyes focused well enough to complete the vital repairs. And all of them kept asking him for assistance, needing guidance on how to undertake even basic work. None of them could think clearly enough on their own now, so they would be no help at all against the powerful alien will of the Skerti Queen's mind.

But, it wasn't just the others that were weakening – he could feel that he was struggling too. Perhaps it was the frightening revelation and the desperate battle to keep his thoughts walled up from the Queen's attention, but he had begun to realise that his own mind wasn't able to quite focus as before.

His body felt tired and heavy too, and it was noticeably getting worse. He had not had any time to rise up into the network either, which would allow him a tiny respite and give his body small moments to heal from the affects of the radiation. There was no time for that, but he needed it. The tension and the strain of keeping his deeper thoughts concealed was battling with the focus he needed to guide all the other Keepers around him, and it was all sucking the last of his energies.

If he became too tired, would the Queen hear his fears? Would the name of Skerti leak out?

Her mind was so strong, so powerful, he knew he would not hold against her if she focused on him again. He was too weak now.

But the Hive needed him. Those around him, unaware and sickly, had no chance without him.

He had to keep going.

He had to be strong.

"Will it hold?" A Keeper asked from behind Long Sleep's right shoulder. There were so many questions.

But it was an important question.

"Maybe," Long Sleep answered as he slid his fingers round the latest patch to a large tubule that fed into the main air filtration system. The fracture lines through the Hive's interior, of which he had been so worried about before the culling, had grown more apparent now. One, which ran partway through the central air filtration and circulation system, had fractured open consoles, power tubes, and structural membranes due to the overpowering internal stresses from the battle and the new drive. If the air systems failed, there would be no hope for anything living on the Hive.

"Can we grow a new tubule?" The Keeper asked with clear worry in his weakened voice.

The solution was so obvious, and it was a frightening shock for Long Sleep that he had not thought of it already. Of course it was better to grow a simple offshoot of the tubule – they were designed to do that. Why had he not thought of that?

His mind was failing him.

He shut his eyes and made himself breathe. "Yes, get it started," he ordered the Keeper.

He could not lose his focus or it would be the end.

Perhaps he should just escape now. Go to a fighter and launch it out into space. Of course that would not work, for he would be instantly detected and no doubt the Queen would order his destruction.

If he was able to deactivate the sensor systems, make it look like a failure from the internal damage...

But would the Skerti Queen be able to sense him leaving the Hive even if the sensors could not? One energy blast from the Hive would be all it would take to destroy a fighter.

So, he would need to escape during the next culling, when all the fighters were launched, then he could redirect his fighter and the Queen would hopefully not notice during the battle. Except, the Hive Primary would not allow him to volunteer as a pilot, as he was clearly needed here as a Keeper to keep the Hive working. He would need to sneak off to the fighter bay then and find a fighter. There were often a few fighters in repair bays, so hopefully one would have only minor issues that he could fix quickly. That would likely work as all the Keepers were focused on repairing the Hive and not on repairing a handful of damaged fighters.

He would need to choose his moment carefully.

Would his mind survive until then though?

Would his body hold? He could feel the physical weakness growing in him. His body felt cold, his feet almost numb, and his focus was slipping far too easily.

"Long Sleep," one of the Keepers called from across the small maintenance chamber, the warrior's voice full of nervous fear. Long Sleep could not remember hearing so much fear in the voice of Wraith in a long time. Perhaps they sensed, on some deep level of their minds, that there was more poison onboard than just the new drive.

Long Sleep turned from the tubule to find the Hive Primary filling the chamber's entranceway. Usually only Keepers visited these maintenance rooms, for there was nothing for drone or warrior to do in these vitally important sections.

The other Keepers all but scurried away from the Hive Primary as the big warrior bared his teeth and fixed his bright eyes on Long Sleep.

It was obvious that the Primary had fed recently, likely from some of the herd that had been swept up in the culling. Long Sleep felt a burst of angry resentment for the large powerful warrior who was free to eat while all around Long Sleep were not.

For the Skerti Queen did not want them strong and able to fight her.

Long Sleep wondered, perhaps irrationally, if the Hive Primary knew what he served.

The Hive Primary growled and strode directly towards Long Sleep, but Long Sleep held his ground. Even in his weakened state, he could stand up to this stupid, and perhaps traitorous, Primary.

"What is taking so long?" The Primary demanded loudly as he leant in right up close to Long Sleep's face.

"The damage has been extensive here," Long Sleep replied, aware of his body's burst of adrenaline and the natural instinct to growl back at the Primary. He had to resist that urge though, despite the ongoing stupidity of this thick-headed warrior. The last time Long Sleep had argued with the Hive Primary, he had drawn the Queen's mind upon him. He could not risk that happening again.

The Hive Primary's narrow pupils lowering to the pool of escaped nutrition fluid on the floor and then up to the large tubule behind Long Sleep. "It looks repaired to me," he snarled.

Long Sleep bit into the inside of his lip to stop himself from losing his temper, feeling his teeth cutting flesh. He needed to focus, to stay calm in the face of this stupid creature questioning him. The Primary knew nothing except how to beat his chest and growl at everything.

No, Long Sleep needed to stay calm, keep his mind focused and strong.

"We are working as fast as we can," he explained as he made sure to breathe.

The Primary's eyes narrowed and he leant even closer. He angled his head, sniffing at Long Sleep like an animal. "What is wrong with you?" The Hive Primary asked.

Fear made Long Sleep's spine threaten to slump to the floor, but he held strong and slammed his mind tightly shut with another burst of adrenaline.

"You smell _weak_ ," the Hive Primary hissed.

Weak?! He was the only one keeping this Hive together, only one able to know the truth, only able to keep standing upright because of his 'mutated' mind!

Long Sleep's temper snapped without his permission.

"We have been working constantly to keep this Hive alive and running," he snarled back at the Primary. "None of us have fed for weeks!"

The Hive Primary growled as he pulled back, his eyes widening and nostrils flaring, and Long Sleep realised what he had done. But his body was too slow and sick to respond quickly enough as the Primary moved. It was so fast and aggressive that Long Sleep barely registered the Primary's arm moving until the feeding hand slammed into him, digging in just under the base of his throat.

Every part of Long Sleep woke up from its sickness then, the pure urge for survival raging up through him to fight until the very end.

Only then he felt it, the rush of warm life-force flowing into him. He surrendered to it instantly, drinking it in with blissful relief as it spread out from this throat, down through his middle, out into his limbs, seeping down to fingertips and toes, until he felt as if every part of him glowed and grew larger, stronger again.

Only then the Hive Primary pulled back, withdrawing his hand from Long Sleep with a sharp rip. The loss of support almost dropped Long Sleep to the floor, but his legs held him upright, for they felt strong again.

He could tell that the life-force the Primary had given him had been very freshly drawn from a human, and that the Primary had fed on far more than one single life. The given nourishment was enough for Long Sleep though, for he could feel it working through him still, repairing and restoring his former panicked, starved, and irradiated body.

And with it all came a newly returned clarity of mind. He felt as if he were waking from a deep hibernation and looked up and around as if in a new clearer and brighter world. That the difference was so great told him how weak he had been before. Now the chamber around him was full of smells, lights, and more Keepers than he had been aware of before. A cloud had been lifted and he could think so much clearer, so much faster again.

He let out a loud and full breath, relief flowing through every part of him. He could think again.

"Now," the Primary intoned above Long Sleep's still bent head. "Finish the repairs. We will be initiating the new drive again. The Queen will not be kept waiting!"

"Yes, Primary," Long Sleep agreed quickly, once again able to play the subservient role he needed. Whereas before he had been struggling to wrap up his thoughts behind their protective walls, now it was easy again. The strength had returned him to himself.

"Focus on your task and perhaps you and your Keepers will be properly fed on the next culling."

"Yes, Primary."

Long Sleep did not bother to repeat his warnings about the ongoing damage to the Hive if they used the drive again, for the Hive Primary would not hear them. The warnings had not been heard before, so they would not be heard now.

Instead, Long Sleep could now return his rebuilt focus to helping the Hive as best he could and, perhaps, find a way to save all onboard without having to escape in a lone fighter. If he could find a way to shutdown the new drive, perhaps during the next culling... If he could turn off the radiation and help the others regain their strength, perhaps they could help him defeat the Skerti Queen.

For, even if he was able to successfully escape this Hive, she would still be a threat.

Perhaps there were more of her kind out among the stars and, if so, the other Wraith needed to be warned and be ready to fight back.

00000

Seeal had given up watching the news links about Atreus after her first meal, but the images still played in her mind.

It had become pretty clear last night what had caused Oneakka to leg it out of Myrtle's with the most shocked look she'd ever seen cross his face. But then it was the first time that she'd heard that the Wraith had attacked deep inside Alliance territory. The news links had been full of updates on the attack since, the recordings from Atreus playing almost constantly. Some were civilian recordings captured by shaky hands, while others were more official recordings from Atreus' portal city's camera system, and even a few short sequences from the Alliance's fighters engaging the Wraith in the sky above the city.

She knew that Oneakka had been on Atreus, because she had spied him moving briefly through the edge of one piece of footage that played a lot on the news links. He had been wearing unusual armour, but she guessed it was probably borrowed as he had made his way to Atreus from Myrtle's.

But he hadn't appeared on any other recordings and the list of Elite in the Facility remained devoid of his name.

Maybe he was stationed on Atreus still, or had been sent on to another planet?

The list of missing and dead on Atreus hadn't included any Elite, but then would they? Surely such news would be announced here in the Facility at least.

She hadn't gotten a great deal of sleep last night and, after her first meal taken in an almost entirely empty canteen, she'd decided to go visit the goat in the Hydroponics Bay before she went to work in the project room.

It kind of helped take her mind of things to walk through the plants and trees of the Hydroponics Bay in search of the pregnant goat. It had taken her longer than expected to find it, but she'd finally found the big-bellied creature munching on a large area of grass. Nearby there was newly built stable, presumably for the goat, with a wooden fence encircling it. Seeal guessed the fence was designed to keep in the baby goats once they arrived, because nothing so simple had contained the goat on the Sythus. For now though, a small gate in the fence was open and the goat was happily eating close by.

The goat had appeared happy to see her, and Seeal had settled down on the noticeably half trimmed lawn and stroked the familiar goat's fluffy coat as it worked on its lawn maintenance. It had been quite relaxing at first, except she had caught herself telling the goat about the culling and reassuring it that Oneakka was fine. So, clearly the distraction hadn't worked all that well.

As she had been about to leave, one of the Bay's gardeners had approached her and had been strangely talkative. The man was apparently the one who had built the stable for the goat and it seemed that the gardeners were now fans of the new resident. Apparently they hadn't been keen on the goat's presence yesterday morning, but by the end of the day the goat had trimmed two lawns for them and eaten some weeds that had formerly been a determined annoyance for them.

The gardener had also provided some interesting gossip in his excessive talkativeness. Apparently the Recruits in the Facility were put on lockdown during high alerts and that half the Facility's staff had been recruited to work on data from Atreus, which explained why the canteen had been practically deserted.

It also explained why she was only one of three members of the project who had turned up for work today. No one had told her to stay in her quarters, so she settled down at her workstation and gotten on with things as normal.

Since the place was so quiet, she had reserved one of her work-screens to display the ongoing list of Elite currently in the Facility. Oneakka's name stubbornly refused to appear among them. A hell of a lot of other Elite were moving through the Facility though, including a large number that were listed as "non-active" Elite. She guessed they probably worked elsewhere for the Elite and in a crisis headed here so that the fight-able Elite could be deployed where needed off-world.

That was probably where Oneakka was – off on some planet or ship chasing the Wraith.

Giving in to temptation, she filled another half screen with the latest news links. The same recordings were playing and there were plenty of discussions between 'experts' on the attack, but basically there was nothing new. The numbers of those missing in the attack had shifted slightly, presumably as Atreus had updated their registry with all those hiding in their underground tunnel network. Fortunately, the number of missing had dropped, though the casualty numbers had stayed the same.

The culling had been pretty short by her reckoning. It was hardly the first time the Alliance and the Wraith had fought over a planet, though usually it was part of the Alliance pushing out their border. Therefore, it seemed odd that the culling had been so fast, and there were plenty of unanswered questions about how the Wraith had actually gotten to Atreus without being detected. Using hyperspace would have involved at least several jumps for the Wraith to reach Atreus from even the closest border, so why hadn't the Alliance detected the Hive earlier?

The news links said the Alliance military had chased off the Hive, so where was it now?

It made her think of all those stellar scans Oneakka had been looking at recently. He had been worried about something, was this it? Did the Wraith have some new cloaking tech or way to conceal their hyperspace windows from Alliance detection?

And, if so, did that mean that the Wraith could attack anywhere in the Alliance? Even here?

Annoyingly, she had no way of finding out. She wasn't important enough here in the Facility, having no access to anything truly confidential outside of what was needed for this project. There was nothing she could do and it wasn't her responsibility to help anymore.

She didn't like not knowing what was going on.

With a frustrated sigh she jabbed off the news link display and picked up her portable music player. She pushed the earphone pieces into her ears, cutting off the annoying silence of the almost entirely empty project room, and selected a song that was fast and upbeat.

She could at least focus on her project work

The music helped her focus reasonably quickly. The tune was pretty catchy and she tapped one foot against the floor along with the beat as she ran her eyes over lines of coding across two screens. After the successful completion of the project's review, she had been assigned a few new areas of the project to work on, so there was plenty to keep her distracted.

Excluding the occasional glimpse towards the constantly updating list of Elite currently in the Facility.

The tune finished and another started up. This one was a Litan piece with the high electronic tones and high singing voices that she could now recognise as distinctly Litan. The female singer's voice was strong even with such high notes, but the words formed in Seeal's mind slightly out of time with the song thanks to the weird translation ability given to all by the Portal system. She'd found that the more times that she listened to one song the more the words would synch-in with the translation in her head until she could no longer sense any delay. She wondered if that meant that her brain was learning Litan without her knowing it?

A new line appeared in the list of Elite names on the side screen. Seeal switched her eyes from coding to the list.

He was back!

She shot up from her seat, pausing to lock her computer systems, and quickly headed out of the project room and into the hallways of the Facility. If his personal beacon had only just registered in the Facility that meant he'd just stepped off one of the transports from the Portal, which meant he was still walking through the hallways. If she could predict his path, she could catch up with him and find out what was really going on.

It was only after she turned down a third hallway did she register that the music was still playing in her ears. The song added a strange extra atmosphere to the mostly empty hallways.

As she reached the first intersecting lobby, she pulled the earphones from her ears and considered which path he might take into the Facility.

From her experience, when returning from battle, people did one of two things. Well, three if they needed to go to a medical bay, but she was assuming that he was intact. So, he was either going to check in with the Elite security headquarters within the Facility, or he was going to go wash, change and maybe rest. From what she'd seen of Elite in battle, they were always in good communication with each other, so she was betting that he didn't need to check in with anyone physically that he couldn't do over link. So, he was probably heading towards his quarters within the Facility.

She didn't know exactly where his quarters were here, but she knew the general area of the habitation sector of the Facility that was reserved for Elite. She took the appropriate corridor and hurried through another lobby and then down another corridor. She kept her pace quick but didn't run. There were staff members on bored looking guard duty in each lobby, presumably because of the high alert status, and she didn't want to draw attention to herself that might slow her down.

She considered asking one of the guards if Oneakka had passed through, but decided that that might spark off some gossip. Plus, if she didn't find Oneakka, she didn't want him finding out that she had been running through the Facility looking for him. He might get the wrong idea about that.

She paused to pick one of two corridors, uncertain which end of the habitation sector to go, but as she leant her head round one entranceway, she spied a familiar back disappearing around the far corridor.

She scurried after him, moving as quickly as she could without her footsteps sounding desperate.

As she turned the corner he'd just gone around, he had already paused and was waiting to see who was following him.

She slid to a stop around the bend and attempted to look casual. "You're back," she panted. The faint pain in her side told her that she needed to work on her cardio.

"You need to increase your cardio workouts," Oneakka told her, annoyingly somehow reaching the exact same conclusion.

"There's a lot of corridor in this place and you move fast," she pointed out. "What happened on Atreus?" She asked, still faintly out of breath.

He had all his limbs and didn't appear to be injured.

"Wraith," he repeated his same summary as last night in Myrtle's, and he started forward again. She hurried forward to fall into step with him.

He was wearing the same unusual body armour from the Atreus footage, which, now she saw it up close on him, clearly didn't fit him right. To her eye, the armour was shifting slightly as he walked, which couldn't be comfortable after fighting in it and wearing it all night. There were smears of dried mud and what looked like brick dust caked all over the silver grey sculpted breastplate. It definitely wasn't his own armour, which normally fitted him perfectly.

She lifted her eyes from examining his middle. "Yes, the whole Alliance knows about the Wraith attack on Atreus. Was the Hive cloaked?" She asked, getting straight to the point.

Oneakka gave her one of his looks that was supposed to tell her leave the subject alone. "Shouldn't you be working on the project?"

"There are only three of us in there, the rest are...somewhere," she replied. "I'm guessing analysing whatever allowed the Hive to sneak up on you."

"There was no 'sneaking up'," Oneakka objected, which told her a great deal.

"How else did it get there?" She asked. "Did you detect any hyperspace windows between the border and Atreus?"

"Any hyperspace windows are instantly detected by the Alliance observation network," Oneakka replied as he took a left turn, the corridors a little larger in this section of the Facility.

"Yes, I am aware of that considering the number of smugglers that passed through Dreamstation," she pointed out sarcastically. "Have the Wraith found a way to conceal their windows from Alliance sensors?" She asked.

The corridor turned sharply to the right now, but Oneakka paused by the last door on the left. He waved his inner wrist over the door's sensor and the door slid open and he walked inside.

"If the Wraith can hide their hyperspace windows then that changes _everything_ ," Seeal pointed out as she followed him through the door.

"We have plenty of experts working on the problem," Oneakka answered her as he moved into the white-walled room. "Don't let it worry you, Raven."

"Don't worry about it?" She objected as the door slid shut behind her. "I live here too now, so it worries..."

She realised that she was in his quarters.

She got that from the large number of books and scrolls lining several long white shelves along the left wall and the large bed in the middle of the room. She hadn't been a Security Lead for nothing.

"You really are obsessed with reading," she told him, feeling a little thrown at suddenly being in his space, but couldn't stop taking in all the details.

The room was far larger than her tiny quarters and was probably slightly larger than his quarters on the Sythus. There was one doorway in the left wall, into which he'd already disappeared, the door closing. She guessed that was a bathroom. The wall continued on after the bathroom door, holding up more shelves of books and artefacts, which she guessed would all be from Ugun. The far wall behind the bed was rock. She hadn't seen that before in the Facility, despite knowing that the place was carved out of the moon's bedrock. She guessed his room must be at the furthest corner of the Facility, which would also explain the window in the right wall. Its sill was at waist height and it went right up to the ceiling. The view through it was simply rock but there was some sunlight coming down from high above it to glow through the window and over a large plant sat in a ceramic pot next to a freestanding waist-high bookshelf.

She frowned at the clearly living plant, wondering idly how it was watered with Oneakka away most of the time.

She headed towards the window, moving around the foot of his wide bed to get there, and set her fingers on the very thick glass. Up close, she could see that the window was actually more like a pothole on a ship, with double layers of reinforced glass. Outside it, the wall of rock opposite was only several feet away, but the slice of space between the Facility's outer walls and the rock allowed enough room for people to walk along it. She recalled that there were escape routes outside the Facility if it had to be evacuated as a last resort. She guessed this tiny space was part of that escape route.

She leant her cheek against the glass to try to peer up through the limited sunlight up towards the very high and distant moon's sky. The bedrock here was supposed to naturally create a small amount of oxygen, so presumably the thin escape space had some atmosphere.

The bathroom door across the room opened up behind her and she looked over her shoulder to see that Oneakka had changed into his own brown body armour and fresh dark trousers. His hair was faintly damp as well.

"These are big quarters for this Facility," she told him. "Or do all the Elite have bigger quarters?"

He set the dust-caked silver breastplate down on the floor by a desk space that was part of one of the low long shelves. "This room is one of the escape points out of the Facility," he replied as he straightened and pointed to the low freestanding bookcase just to her right beside the window. "The escape hatch is behind there."

She moved around the potted plant and peered down behind the bookcase to see the hatchway clear enough. These escape hatches were part of the Facility evacuation procedure, allowing access out of the Facility to that limited narrow space outside, which must then lead to one of the congregation sites. She knew that because she had to take a weekly mandatory test on the Facility's emergency and evacuation protocols since she'd been here. It hadn't occurred to her before that some of these hatchways were in people's quarters. The only couple that she'd seen in passing had been one out of the canteen and one at the back of the Hydroponics Bay. In an evacuation alarm, you were supposed to follow red leading lights to take you towards the closest hatchway outside.

"Where are the emergency oxygen breathers to take out through the hatch?" She asked, remembering that part of the weekly tests.

He pointed to a cupboard near the end of the bookcase which, now she was looking, clearly displayed the emergency equipment symbol used by the Alliance military. She wished she hadn't asked now, she was just still a bit thrown by the very nice quarters.

"So you get a bigger room so long as you don't mind people storming in here in the middle of the night to escape the Facility?" She asked.

"Happens all the time," Oneakka replied.

She blinked. Had that been a joke?

"What was it you wanted?" He asked, serious again.

She blinked again, trying to remember.

His big bed stood between them. It had nice colourful patterned covers.

She decided to move away from the bed, so returned to her inspection of the emergency cupboard.

"I was making the valid point that if the Wraith can hide their hyperspace windows, then it's a problem for all of us," she replied as she pulled open the emergency cupboard and glanced over the breathers and medical kits inside. Everything was very orderly and no doubt well maintained. She closed the cupboard, only her attention was drawn to the cabinet next to it, set beside the doorway into his quarters. It was a glass-fronted cabinet and held a series of shelves inside.

"I have plenty of experience in how smugglers and general scum avoid Alliance detection," she reminded him as she peered in through the glass front of the cabinet. "I could help."

There were more artefacts inside, all far smaller and more delicate looking than the others he displayed on the shelves here and in his Sythus quarters. She guessed all of them were Ugun, remnants of his lost people. On the shelf at her eye level were displayed several pieces of beautiful jewellery; there was a broach in the shape of a bird, a small golden teardrop that looked like it might have been a button, a tiny child's bracelet and a broken long beaded necklace.

She stepped back from the cabinet, feeling a little uncomfortable to know how carefully he kept these things. How little there was left of his world and culture.

She turned away, taking in the rest of his quarters again. They were far brighter and lighter than she would have expected, with everything white except for the books, artefacts, and his bed. She glanced quickly over the bed, though her eye was drawn up to the top of the high headboard over it. There was a carved figure sat on top of the wide headboard, which was a duplicate of the one she had seen in his Sythus quarters. He had hung a small string of red beads under the figure's calmly smiling chin.

"You've already told us how the smugglers avoid our detection, and there are more than enough experts here to help with analysing the Atreus attack," Oneakka told her, drawing her full attention back to him.

"Meaning, I should keep my nose out of it?" She translated.

He inclined his head to one side, confirming it without agreeing out loud. He seemed in a slightly strange mood today, but then he had been helping save a planet last night.

"Fine," she agreed with a shrug, wishing it didn't feel like a rejection for him to tell her that they didn't need her expertise. "I was just trying to be helpful."

"Like you were in Myrtle's last night?" He asked.

She narrowed her eyes at him, recalling a few significant details from last night. "What was that thing between you and Myrtle?"

Oneakka's expression blanked and he looked away, picking up one of his stunners and he slid it into his holster – which he must have put on whilst she had been examining his room. "What thing?" He asked dismissively.

She rolled her eyes at his deliberate attempt to be obtuse. "I take it you two don't get along?"

She hadn't really seen enough to be certain last night, but Oneakka's scowl and Myrtle's rather challenging look from the second floor railing above them, suggested that the two didn't like each other. She wasn't overly surprised, they weren't alike at all.

Well, apart from being Elite, and the whole being tall and handsome thing.

"We grew up together; trained together," Oneakka supplied as he slid another stunner into place on his other hip and then reached for his two forearm long knives. He slid the first blade into its scabbard across his lower back. He looked better in his own weapons and armour.

"Friends?" She tested.

He slid the second knife into place and turned back to look at her.

She lifted her eyebrows.

"You're not a Security Lead anymore, Raven," he told her, which annoyed her a little, considering that she had only been trying to be helpful by pointing out that criminal to Myrtle's security.

"Meaning I should just ignore a criminal when I see one in a club?" She challenged.

"I meant in assessing everyone's motivations about every little thing," he replied.

She was a little surprised at his point.

He might be right, but surely everyone noticed how people interacted around them. Some used what they saw for gossip and social interactions, while some for security purposes, which seemed more inherently useful in her opinion.

"I was just asking in case you were there to warn me to keep away from Myrtle," she told him.

"Is there a reason why you plan to be around Myrtle more?" He asked in turn.

She held still. Had Myrtle told Oneakka about his little seductive offer?

"I hadn't planned on being around him more, no," she replied, watching Oneakka carefully.

"Then why ask me about him?"

"If you don't want to talk about Myrtle, just say so," she told him, getting annoyed with his rather furtive attitude about Myrtle. He was normally far more direct about things.

"I thought I just did," he concluded. He was definitely in an odd irritating disposition today.

She sighed heavily and looked up at the ceiling. "You can be so annoying."

"You started the conversation," he replied, only confirming his annoyingness.

She should probably leave, because clearly he, and the Elite, didn't want her help. She had no idea why he had let her in here if he didn't want to have a normal proper conversation with her, but clearly he was in some sort of defensive mood today.

The exit out back into the hallways was behind her left shoulder, so she turned away towards it, only for another detail of his quarters to catch her attention.

Above the doorway there was a large frame holding some artwork. It stood out because she'd never seen anything like artwork elsewhere in here or in his Sythus quarters. She took a step forward and to her right to peer up into the frame, only to discover that it was a self-regulating display case. She'd seen them before, but only in museums and holding expensive paintings, as the cases could maintain a set temperature and humidity inside in order to preserve what they held. Creass had 'acquired' a couple of expensive paintings in the past and they had always arrived in cases like this one. Only, this one didn't hold a painting, but a tapestry. It was only a foot or two long, but a good metre wide, and, though it was probably old, the colours were still quite vivid.

It seemed unusual and out of place for him.

She turned and glanced round at the other walls, confirming that there was space elsewhere for the case, but he'd chosen to hang it above the doorway. It meant that he could see it from anywhere in the room, that it was across from his bed and close to his desk area. And that he passed directly under it each time he came in or left his quarters.

This was clearly something very important to him.

"What's this?" She asked as she pointed up to the tapestry. "It's Ugun?" She guessed as she studied it more closely, recognising the Ugun glyphs making up most of the design. She'd seen enough of the Ugun language from all the spines of his books, and from the tattoo on his chest, to be able to recognise the distinct writing style.

She looked back at him over her shoulder, only to find that he was stood very still, his jaw flexing slightly. She should have realised that it was a completely insensitive question, considering the subject matter and that he'd placed it so prominently. His eyes were directed up at the tapestry.

She debated for a second as to whether she should just apologise and leave, but there was something almost like a deciding pause in the air, like he was considering answering her question. She waited, in case he would.

"It represents my lineage," he said.

She felt a strange wave of relief that he'd told her, like a little doorway had opened up.

"Your lineage?" She asked, measuring her tone to be gently curious.

His blue eyes moved back to her from the tapestry. "You mean you didn't go poking around the database to learn about Ugun names?" He asked, but the light-hearted comment felt slightly false. He wasn't comfortable talking about the tapestry.

She should let it go.

"I took your word that your name wasn't translated anywhere in the database," she told him honestly, for the most part. She had read up a little on the Ugun planet in general.

He gave her a doubtful look.

"I swear," she smiled at him. "I'll just going to wait until you tell me of your own free will."

He shook his head and glanced away, but his eyes almost immediately went back up to the tapestry.

Maybe he did want to talk about it.

A thought occurred to her. "Unless," she looked back up to the tapestry, "this spells out your name. Is Oneakka actually your family's name?"

She had never thought that perhaps he had more than one name, since only 'Oneakka' came up on the Facility's registry. It was common enough across the Alliance for people to have only one name, two or more, depending upon their planet of origin and culture.

"No, it's my personal name," he answered though. "That," he indicated the tapestry with a tilt of his head, "is my family lineage, so would be considered a family name of sorts."

She debated with herself whether she should ask any more. He had answered a couple of questions, but he was still stood unnaturally still, unmoving except for his eyes. That he had shared this much was probably something of a real compliment from him, and asking more would probably be considered rude.

Maybe just one more question.

"What does it say, or am I not allowed to ask?" She tried to keep the question light in tone.

His one-tone blue eyes lifted back to the tapestry. "Akireu"

"Oneakka Akireu," she tried the name.

"Oneakka of the lineage of Akireu," he corrected.

He had pronounced his name a little differently than she normally heard everyone else use it, but then she had rarely heard him say his own name. He'd split 'Oneakka' into three syllables with a strong emphasis on the first sound, the second short and soft, and the last sound longer.

"On-ne-akka," she repeated his pronunciation and he nodded that she had gotten it right. She promised herself that she'd say his name correctly from now onwards, after all she understood the importance of a name more than most. If she only knew what his name actually meant...

She looked back up at the tapestry, understanding why he had displayed it so prominently. It was his last link to his lineage. She guessed, but decided not to ask, that most of what he had saved from his lost world had been recovered from the debris after the Wraith bombardment, or traded from those who had purchased items from Ugun directly – so there probably wasn't much that he could trace directly from his own family. But, the tapestry was clearly related to his family, so it was a direct link for him.

"Akireu was considered our people's greatest warrior," Oneakka added into her silent contemplation of his family's name. She glanced back round at him, a little surprised that he'd added the extra information. His eyes were focused back up at the tapestry, but his gaze seemed distant.

"Was he a King or leader of your people?" She asked, unsure if she should follow the interesting trail of information.

"No, just a farmer and a warrior," Oneakka answered. "It was said that he singlehandedly held back the Wraith during a culling and saved an entire generation of our people. He was seen as being gifted by the gods, which, as far as I've read, probably just means that he was stronger and taller than the average male."

"Height and strength doesn't automatically make you a hero," Seeal pointed out, "The Glisi can attest to that," she reminded him of her own giant people.

He nodded, his gaze lowering back down to her.

"Was he real, or a legend?" She asked carefully, not wanting to insult him with the question, but his comment about his people's judgement of strength made her wonder.

"No, he was real. He was my Grandfather five generations back on my Mother's side of my lineage."

"Did that make your lineage special?"

He smiled slightly at that. "No, there were a lot of us. Uguns had big families through all the generations."

"You were one of nine siblings," she remembered.

He nodded.

His eyes rose up to the tapestry again. "My people made that for me when I left to start my Elite training."

A rush of sadness and pity for him hit her in a throat tightening rush. He had mentioned before that he was a small boy when he had left his people, passed to the Elite to be trained and knowing that he was unlikely to ever see his family again. A fact that would turn out to be far more literal for him than it was for other Elite Recruits.

"They made it for you to remind you of your lineage," she concluded.

"No," he said though. "They thought I was Akireu reborn."

She blinked at that.

He looked down from the display case. "I grew faster than most children. By the time I was five yearly cycles, I was taller and stronger than the other children my age. Including my next brother up, who was almost two cycles older than me."

"I bet he wasn't happy with that," she guessed.

He smiled. "No, he wasn't." Despite all the weaponry and armour he wore, he wasn't talking like an Elite warrior now. She felt as if he had broken open some shell around himself and allowed the man inside to show through.

"What was his name?"

And with that, the shell snapped shut again and he turned away towards his desk and reached for an electronic pad. She had pushed things too far, opened too much hurt, and she quietly cursed herself for it.

"He was called Zopi," Oneakka answered her though as he pushed the pad into the back pocket of his trousers.

She nodded as she turned back round to the tapestry overhead and studied it with more appreciation now. Every stitch had been made by his people, full of celebration and sadness at his leaving, but making something for him to take with him.

"I guess they were partly right," she considered as she looked back towards him, not wanting to end the conversation with the sad echo of his brother's name. "You did turn into a great warrior, stronger and more powerful than most."

"But, whereas Akireu saved an entire generation of our people, I am the last generation of my people."

The words felt like a hard hit, full of more raw emotion than she'd ever heard from him, and she'd certainly never before seen the flash of real pain across his face as he said the words. She felt the sudden abrupt urge to cry for him.

And she remembered Myrtle's warning of the heartbroken warrior before her.

"That's not true though," she found herself telling Oneakka sternly.

His answer was a silent questioning frown, his strong blue eyes fixed on her.

"If you have children, your lineage, and the Ugun people, will continue," she pointed out the obvious.

He shrugged at that and turned away, returning his attention to his desk and clearly ending the emotional conversation. A sharp sense of vulnerability seemed to hold over him as he tided his desk and decidedly did not make eye contact with her. He'd shared deeply painful personal things for him, which she suspected he rarely did, and they were life events that would make most people curl up into a ball and sob at the unfairness of the universe. But not this man, instead he, like his famous ancestor, held tall and strong in the face of such horrors.

Except, he was still a man, as stubborn and difficult as he could be, but she felt that she kind of understood him a little bit better now.

"Which reminds me," she said, moving onto another subject of conversation to fill the silence, "is there some Elite warrior breeding programme? Because, there are some Recruits here that look awfully alike."

"You've noticed them," Oneakka glanced briefly over his shoulder as he continued to move things around his desk. There had been a slight, but strained, smile in his expression, and she got the impression that he was grateful for the new subject matter.

"What?" She asked, surprised at his comment though. "There isn't really a breeding programme is there?"

"No," Oneakka answered while he stacked several pads up into small towers; those pads of data he'd been reading so much of late. "Only one man's version of it," he added.

"Let me guess, one Elite warrior who spread his seed around to breed a new generation of himself?" She guessed; she'd met some criminal minds with a similar theory – to breed their own army.

Oneakka nodded and started to answer further, except a light started flashing from the ceiling and an abrupt loud alarm sounded. Flashing blue light meant it was the high alert Elite alarm call. That would probably only mean one thing right now – the Hive was back somewhere in Alliance space.

"Wraith shit!" Oneakka cursed into the flashing light and rushed towards the door behind her.

"Not again!" She exclaimed as she stepped aside just enough to let him run past her and she followed him out into the flashing corridor outside.

As they did, she couldn't help but be acutely aware of the tapestry they had both passed under.

00000  
TBC


	18. The Last Memories

**Chapter 18 – The Last Memories**

The breakfast with the IOA lot had been going surprisingly well. They didn't seem quite so full of political questions this morning, maybe because they were just sat around a normal table in the Mess Hall, or it could be because Teyla had been driving most of the conversation. She'd been asking tons of questions about Earth and the IOA members' family life and culture. The IOA appeared pretty happy to answer her questions too, sharing stories of home and growing up on Earth. Even Shen, who was definitely the quieter one during the official meals, appeared more talkative today.

Though the biggest surprise for John this morning was Ketra, who appeared to have decided overnight that she now liked Atlantis. She'd lost all her nervous caution from yesterday and had marched confidently along with them to the Mess Hall, though perhaps that was her anticipating another bowl of the honey flower mix. After she had devoured her food, Ketra had sat by his knee all calm as she had appeared to be listening to Teyla talking with the IOA. John had to wonder though if some of the interest was because of the food on everyone's trays, because he had seen Ketra peering up at the bowl of mixed fruit Teyla had been eating. So, he had offered Ketra some of his orange, and, after a brief sniff, she'd taken the segments from his fingers with her long oddly delicate tongue. Appearing to like the fruit, she'd kept most of her attention now on his hands as he had worked his way through the orange, occasionally offering her a segment.

It still bemused him to watch her use her large Wraith-killing teeth to delicately eat fruit and flowers. Teyla had told him that there were plenty of hard-shelled nuts and fruits in the Athosian forests, and that Ketra's teeth were well shaped to crack almost anything open, but John had to wonder if some of it was for the Wraith killing.

General O'Neill had been the first to leave the table, needing to head up to the Control Room to meet with Colonel Carter after her meeting with some non-Alliance off-world visitors. Before he'd left though, the General had come round the table to say hello to Ketra, talking to her like she was a friendly dog. He was the first in the city to attempt to approach her, outside of those in the Infirmary. Surprisingly, Ketra hadn't appeared to mind and had sniffed at O'Neill's offered hand and then at his boots and had allowed him to stroke her back. Somehow the General could always ingratiate himself with anyone, and winning over Ketra with just a hello was pretty impressive.

After the General had left, the conversation had returned to politics, discussing how other Political Marriages had formed trading relationships within the Alliance. Teyla had answered most of the questions, as Si was busy talking with Cadman and Ford about his planned training sessions for the day. John had promised the two of them that they'd be able to drop by the gym once they got back from today's mission, as long as they got back on time; you never knew with some boring science babysitting visits off-world, sometimes the locals threw in an invite to a harvest festival or something.

John checked his watch; he and Teyla were going to need to leave soon to meet Dr Petri, the Exobiologist who had asked to meet and study Ketra. He would have just enough time to introduce the Teyla to Petri and then make it back for the pre-mission brief and gear up to be ready for the 11:00 departure through the Gate. It felt pretty good to be heading out on a proper mission off-world again; even if it was just to keep watch over Dr Lindsay on M1K 177 as she gave her weekly class on fishing and whatever. John wasn't all that sure how much detail there could be on the subject that required weekly classes. Still it was going to be far better than playing the political smiling role and uncomfortable small talk he'd had to do at the Athosian Conference for the last couple of weeks. Today wasn't the mission he'd supposed to be on, since the IOA had gotten all twitchy about letting him go on missions to unknown planets, but it was at least back to something close to normal for him.

Or as 'normal' as things got around here, which, considering that he would be returning back to the city to spend the rest of his afternoon and evening with his alien warrior wife, wasn't really all that normal now he thought about it. Still, he liked it.

The orange finished, he focused his attention on Teyla as she enthusiastically described something Alliance related. She really did look good in her new outfit. The blue top had a faint shine to it and fit her really well. The neckline wasn't all that low, but the top was sleeveless, showing off her bare golden arms. As she was sat on his right, her line of dark tattoos faced him where they ran from behind her left ear, down the side of her throat and all the way down into her cleavage. As her new top was also slightly cropped at her waist, occasionally there was a hint of the line of tattoos running down and around her middle.

Teyla glanced round at him, maybe sensing him staring at her, but he simply covered it up with a smile and took his opportunity.

"We should probably get going," he told her as he pointed to his watch, "if we're going to get to Dr Petri' office in time."

Teyla's dark eyes slid to his presented wrist and then back to meet his gaze and she smiled. "Of course," she said and looked away to the IOA sat around her, except there had been enough of a tint of amusement in her smile to tell him that she had rightly guessed that he was bored of the IOA conversation. He had tuned out the discussion pretty much since O'Neill had left the table. Still, it didn't change the fact that they really did need to leave now.

"Thank you for your company for first meal," Teyla said politely to the IOA as she stood up.

"Breakfast," John quietly corrected for her as he stood up with her.

"Breakfast," she amended quickly. Woolsey and Faxon were both standing up as well, doing the whole gentleman thing. "I look forward to continuing our discussion later," Teyla told them.

"We do as well," Shen was the one to answer.

"Thank you for your company," Woolsey added. They were really laying on the charm this morning.

"Major, we'd be happy to accompany Honoured Elite Si to the gym," Cadman volunteered quickly from the other end of the table, Ford leaning into view and nodding eagerly. They probably were hoping to get in some quick tuition from Si before they had to also leave for the mission brief.

"Okay," John agreed. "Just make sure you report for duty _on time_." He told them and they both schooled their eager expressions.

"Yes, Sir," both replied.

"You can play later after work," he added as he turned away from the table, suspecting they would be glaring at his back.

Teyla was already a few steps ahead, waiting for him, Ketra at her side who was sniffing at the edge of a nearby table that was full of other people's breakfasts. The occupants of the table were looking a tad nervous at Ketra's attention while still being clearly fascinated by her.

John moved to join Teyla and then led the way between the rest of the tables, exchanging a nod with the two Marines that had been keeping a polite watch over breakfast and who would now follow him and Teyla out of the Mess Hall.

"That seemed pretty relaxed," John smiled at Teyla as they walked out into the reasonably busy hallway. A glance down confirmed that Ketra was still in her more usual confident mood, walking on Teyla's other side and examining anything, and anyone, who got close. People pretty much flattened themselves against the walls to keep out of Ketra's reach, which confirmed that they'd all read Colonel Carter's reminder email yesterday to keep their distance from the Wraith-killing dragon during her stay.

"Indeed," Teyla agreed about the IOA breakfast. "They all appeared very accommodating and friendly this morning."

"Yeah, when they want to be," John muttered quietly, though she probably heard him. Fortunately the IOA were still super keen on the contract.

"Dr McKay did not join us though," Teyla noted as they turned a corner, personnel moving quickly out the way of Ketra's tail.

"He said he's got some science experiment or something he's working on," John explained. "But really he's just pissed because his having to go on the mission later," he added.

Teyla looked round with a delicate frown. "He does not like missions?" She asked. "He seemed very animated on his visits to Athos."

"Sure if its somewhere he can show off, but not missions where he has to 'babysit soft science'," John quoted Rodney's whinging comments from his very brief appearance first thing at breakfast. "He's just throwing his toys out of his pram."

Teyla frowned again at that. "Is a pram a piece scientific equipment?" She asked.

John smiled at that as he shook his head. "A pram is a four-wheeled vehicle you push a baby around it," he explained.

"Oh," she smiled with understanding and then chuckled lightly. "And when upset, they throw their toys out of it in protest? A good expression."

"Yeah, I picked it from Beckett," John confessed. "He says it about McKay all the time."

Teyla nodded. "Carson was telling me yesterday about his home country," she used the word 'country' with a slight pause, checking she was using it right.

He nodded, smiling at her, kind of liking that she was learning more Earth words. For so long she had been the one to have to translate so much for him while in Alliance space, but now she was learning more about Earth.

"Did he mention kilts?" John asked.

"No," she frowned faintly. "I do not believe he did."

"You ask him about them," John suggested as they reached the doors of the closest transporter and he waved his hand over the crystals. "And what goes under them."

As the doors parted, Teyla gave him a narrowed eyed look that told him that she knew he was up to something with that suggestion. He just smiled as he followed her and Ketra inside, waiting as Ketra curled her tail into the small space. The two Marines wisely waited outside the still open doors.

"We'll see you down there," John told the Marine escort before he reached back and tapped the right spot on the screen's map of the city, initiating the transporter.

The flash of the transporter made Ketra shift nervously against John's leg, but he dropped a hand to her back to reassure her. The doors slid open to reveal a new part of the city, which was where Dr Petri' department had set up shop.

"From what I heard," Teyla continued as he waved her through the door first, "despite his attitude at times, Dr McKay was highly regarded during the Conference," she reported.

John followed her out, having to step around Ketra who was sniffing intently at the new corridor floor. "Really?" He asked, making sure to sound surprised, but actually he was kind of pleased to hear that Rodney had impressed them.

Teyla smiled at him as they stood together in the corridor, the transporter's doors shutting behind them. "His knowledge regarding Ancestor technology is very extensive, and he appears to be understanding our technology very quickly."

Light poured through the transporter's windows and the doors opened again, revealing the two Marines. They seemed pretty laid back with the guard detail, though he saw them both drop their gaze immediately to Ketra as they stepped out into the hallway. Ketra was frowning up at them, seeming almost suspicious at their reappearance.

"Come on, Ketra," John called to her as he lead the way forward again, heading down the brighter, and very empty, hallway.

"We are in another part of the city," Teyla noted as they walked past a bank of wide windows.

"We're further out along the North pier," he explained. "There's a lot more space for the scientists out here and some of the rooms were probably originally used as lab space by the Ancients. Ancestors," he corrected.

Teyla nodded, but her attention was focused out through the windows, probably admiring the new view of the central spires of the city.

"They've been digging up some big fossils from one planet recently," John told her, "and they're piecing together a real big one in this room," John indicated the open archway to the right.

Teyla looked round from the windows and through the archway into the large room inside. There were a handful of scientists working in there, all wearing full body jumpsuits and masks as they chipped and sanded down bits of the large chucks of rock they'd brought back through the Gate attached to the underside of a Jumper. John had missed out on that mission because he'd been on Athos for the Conference, but he'd been down here a few times with everyone else, curious about the big fossil. It was some sort of sea monster, he couldn't quite remember now. It was exciting for the scientists at least.

"A fossil, as in an ancient creature preserved underground?" Teyla checked, glancing up at him with wide and curious eyes.

"Yep," John agreed. "Its sea monster, apparently," he supplied.

Teyla looked back into the room with clear fascination. "There have been some such findings in the Alliance, but most of our scientific research has been focused on understanding the development of the Wraith and how to defeat them."

John felt the usual faint shiver just thinking about Iratus bugs.

"If you ever get to visit Earth, I could take you to a couple of museums there. We've got amazing fossils," he suggested.

She smiled up at him. "I would enjoy that."

Her eyes were dark yet sparkling in the sunlit corridor, but John made himself look away, acutely aware of the two Marines standing a polite distance away. No flirting in the hallways; that had been their joking rule the last time she'd stayed.

He led the way forward again, pointing to the next room along the corridor. "Up here, the Botany department have started a new big study testing..." actually he didn't know what they were doing in there, "plants."

Teyla let out breath that sounded like a laugh as they both looked through the partially glass doors into the room in question. He couldn't see much, though there was definitely some greenery.

"I'm not really into plants," he shrugged at her, kind of wishing he knew more about what went on here. He wasn't making the best tour guide for her. Though he wasn't sure when he'd started on the tour guide thing, since they were just supposed to be heading straight for Dr Petri' lab. Maybe because he really liked that bright curious look she had when she listened to him, like she was hanging on his every word.

"I am sure that you will be full of detailed facts regarding golf later," she told him as they walked on.

"You can bet on it," he grinned down at her. "The Exobiology department is just up ahead," he started to explain as they turned the final corner, only for a very recognisable figure to step into view ahead. Clearly Dr Petri had been listening out for them and couldn't wait for them to actually reach her lab door.

"Dr Petri," John called out to her, simultaneously informing Teyla who was up ahead.

The female Exobiologist moved towards them with a massive grin already visible across her face.

She wore the same uniform as everyone else here, but, as was typical with this woman, she had added some more 'eccentric' details to it. Today she had added several badges, a couple of large colourful necklaces and a bright red headband around her head. The headband was needed to try to contain some of the woman's big thick light brown hair that stood out from her head like she was related to Einstein.

"Honoured Elite Emmagan," Dr Petri exclaimed in her cheerful British accent, her hands outstretched, talking like she'd known Teyla for years. "I am so pleased to meet you."

John glanced at Teyla as they reached the scientist. He could tell that Teyla was a little surprised by the Exobiologist, but she was smiling back.

"I am pleased to meet you as well," Teyla replied.

Dr Petri clasped her hands together in front of her throat. "Now, I understand from my reading, that it is best for me to wait for Ketra to approach me first."

"Yes, that does seem to put her more at ease," Teyla confirmed with a nod of her braided head.

"Good," Dr Petri grinned. The woman had big eyes, almost Disney animated sized eyes, which were only slightly magnified by her thin-rimmed glasses. "Then shall I show you my lab and where she and I can meet properly?" She indicated the doorway behind her with a big flourish of her arm. Several big beaded bracelets jangled from her wrist as she did. John wasn't sure if the civilian staff were supposed to wear such things on duty, but clearly no one had stopped her.

"Thank you," Teyla said as she moved forward with Dr Petri. John held back a little, Ketra following the women, and glanced back to the Marines as he reached the open door to Dr Petri' space.

"You guys can wait out here," he ordered them.

"Yes, Sir," one answered with a nod.

John headed into the wide, yet fully equipped lab. Or rather, it was something like a cross between a lab, with glass beakers and jars of unidentifiable things to one side, and an office on the other side with piles of books, two computers, and more stationery supplies than surely an entire department could need. John spied another four laptops as he moved between the two long central tables, which were equally covered in stuff, including hand drawn sketches of Ketra and what looked like some printouts from the Ancient database. It looked like Dr Petri had been reading everything she could on Ketra's species, including the new stuff found in the database yesterday.

Up ahead, Petri had led Teyla through to an adjoining room, which John remembered was much larger. A squawk echoed from the next room – oh, yeah, Petri' parrot. John had no idea how she had been allowed to bring one with her, but the large noisy parrot had arrived with the Doc last year and had fascinated everyone in the City; until they'd all discovered that the parrot hated everyone but Petri.

John turned into the room to see that the parrot was in its massive metal cage that took up a quarter of the room, which usually had its door open during the day, much to Sumner's annoyance. The parrot had escaped into the city a few times in its early days here and Petri had gained quite a name for herself for arguing with Sumner about her parrot's 'right for freedom'.

Ketra, it seemed, didn't share Sumner's dislike of the parrot, as she was already right up against to the parrot's cage, her snout pressed against the metal. The parrot was called 'Sparrow', which presumably was a reference to the movie pirate rather than a tiny bird, because Sparrow was not small. John knew as much about birds as he did plants, but even he could recognise the bright red and blue feathers and massive beak of a Macaw.

Sparrow squawked again down at Ketra from his perch high up and away from Ketra's reach. The dragon angled her head, reaching up further with her long neck, sniffing at the cage.

"No, they usually enjoy the company of birds," Teyla was saying where she stood right beside Ketra, one hand on the dragon's head, presumably worried that Ketra was going to try to climb the cage or something.

"Since they spend so much time up in the trees, that would make sense," Petri replied from beside Teyla. "Sparrow does not get to interact with many other species, well, except for the human variety," she chuckled.

"There are similar birds on Athos. Though they do not live inside with people, they are often found visiting the edge of the tree lines and people feed them," Teyla told her, appearing pretty chatty with Petri already.

"Do they mimic speech?" Petri asked, clearly fascinated. "Parrots are hugely versatile at mimicking sounds, and have a higher level of intelligence than most other birds."

John glanced at his watch; he could probably hang around for a bit longer. He wandered off to one side, looking at large collection of varying eggs and feathers Petri had laid out on a table.

"They do not mimic speech, but it's well known on Athos that the birds call for attention and food when at the tree line," Teyla considered. "Though that is usually only for part of the year, as they usually migrate in the colder seasons."

"Really?" Petri asked with interest. She reached up towards Sparrow's bars and held out a nut she had produced from a pocket. Sparrow spotted the treat and began to climb across the cage, using its beak as well as its long clawed feet to make its way to her. He used a route that completely avoided going anywhere near Ketra. He hissed at her at one point. Ketra however seemed fascinated, her long head reaching up as high as she could.

John saw her flex her large shoulders.

"No, Ketra," Teyla anticipated the jump. "Stay on the floor," she ordered her pet.

"Sparrow is never a good host, I am afraid. He prefers to be just with me, or my assistant, Theo, who is working on the fossil today so that Ketra would not be too intimidated."

"Ketra kills Wraith, Doc," John put in as he leant his butt against the corner of the egg table.

"It was a very thoughtful suggestion," Teyla told Petri though and she looked round at John with a look that said 'be nice'; it seemed a very wife-y thing to do.

John grinned.

Sparrow had taken the nut from Petri and was on a new perch now, chomping on the nut. Ketra, having seen this, moved towards Petri, who was now a potential source of food.

"Hello, Ketra," Petri greeted her and produced a plastic box from somewhere. "I have some of the juiciest flowers I could find for you," she said excitedly to Ketra.

Ketra moved closer, snout moving as Petri opened the box. Yep, Petri knew how to win over a dragon.

A large purple flower came out of the box and Petri offered it to Ketra. The long dragon tongue slid out and wrapped around the large flower and it disappeared into her large dinosaur mouth.

"Fascinating tongue!" Petri exclaimed.

John winced at the scientist tone – he knew it far too well from babysitting duties off-world. They could get excited about the weirdest things.

"Her species is quite unique in this galaxy, as far as I have discovered," Teyla told her. John could tell from just her tone that Teyla was already enjoying Dr Petri' company. "Have you found any like her outside of Alliance space?"

"Not really," Petri replied as she pulled a large petal off another flower from the box and offered it to Ketra. "We have discovered some lizard creatures vaguely similar in shape, but nowhere near her size. She reminds me more of a Komodo Dragon from our planet, but she does not have scales, which is fascinating, and she's clearly stronger and far more agile."

"Are Komodos able to change colour?" Teyla asked.

"No," Dr Petri replied as she fed another petal to Ketra, clearly in no way intimidated by the dragon's size and teeth. "Though they are more colourful when younger and live up in the trees initially. Do Ketra's species move around on the forest floor a great deal?"

"They do, but from what we know of them, they prefer to be in the trees during the night and when feeling threatened," Teyla replied, glancing up at Sparrow as the bird squawked loudly. The parrot was peering down at Ketra, leaning off its perch to watch as Dr Petri fed another petal to Ketra. Clearly the bird didn't approve of Ketra getting all the snacks.

John checked his watch; clearly things were going well here, and he really did need to get going. He felt a lot better about leaving Teyla now; not that she needed his protection or anything. She was a powerful Elite warrior.

"Sorry to interrupt," he said as he pushed off the table corner, "but I've got to get going."

Teyla turned round and moved a few steps towards him. "You are leaving on your mission off-world now?"

Was it him or did she sound a little disappointed.

He gave her a grin as he moved forward to stand a bit closer to her in the middle of the room. "Got to go through the pre-mission briefing and stuff first," he explained, "and then we'll be off-world for a few hours. Hopefully not much longer. There'll be plenty of time for golf later."

She smiled at that.

"Colonel Carter's schedule has given you all the next few hours with Dr Petri," John reminded her. "More, if you want it. Si' in the gym beating up Marines if you want to join him."

Teyla nodded.

Across the room, Sparrow squawked several times, and John saw that the parrot was moving down the front of the cage towards where Petri was offering it a nut, while Ketra munched on another large flower.

"But if you need anything in the meantime, just ask the Marines outside," John added, returning his full attention to Teyla. "If you have any problems, contact Colonel Carter."

"I will be fine," Teyla replied, clearly reassuring him now. Maybe he was a little nervous about leaving her, which was stupid. Teyla killed Wraith Queens before breakfast.

"I am looking forward to spending some time with Dr Petri," Teyla added with a smile as she glanced back towards where Ketra continued to behave herself and Sparrow was eyeing up the dragon suspiciously.

"I told you that you'd like her," John said quietly as he leant forward a fraction.

Teyla looked back around and he leant back again, mostly.

"Yes, you did," Teyla confirmed and then turned directly towards him, lifting her hands up towards his shoulders, initiating the Athosian forehead touch. Twice in one morning.

He cupped the top of her arms in his hands and touched his forehead to hers briefly.

"I wish you a great victory for your mission," she added as she straightened and her hands dropped from his shoulders.

John made himself remove his own hands from her, abruptly aware that Petri was watching them with intense interest that only a scientist would think wasn't rude.

He cleared his throat as he started to move back and away from Teyla, really needing to go now or he was going to be late to give his own briefing.

"I'll see you later," he smiled at Teyla as she turned away back towards Ketra and Petri. John focused on the other two. "See you later, Ketra," he called to the dragon, who looked round with a petal half sticking out of her mouth. "You've made a friend for life there, Doc," John told Petri.

Petri grinned back at him with her wide Disney eyes. "It was nice to see you, Major Sheppard."

John smiled at them all, wishing he could stay really, but he had work to get back to. This was going to be the new normal now away – leaving Teyla to go to work.

He headed to the exit, though paused at the archway out of the room and looked back at Teyla. She glanced back as well, smiling at him with that same reassuring look again.

She really did seem okay here, and she could easily look after herself. He gave her one last smile and then headed into the next room.

Moving through the lab/office towards the main door out of Petri' department, he heard Sparrow squawk loudly again and then both the women laughed.

He just needed to get though the boring mission to M1K 177 and then he could get back and hear how Teyla's day had gone.

0000

Oneakka ran out of the habitation sector, intending to make his way through the Facility to a transport craft to take him back to the Portal, but he had felt an update buzz from his electronic pad in his back pocket. Still running, he had pulled out the pad, only to find a slightly unexpected report across the screen.

 _Territory breach – One Hive. No Deployment._

No Deployment? That didn't make much sense, so Oneakka had redirected his target to the Facility's Emergency Response Station. At a good run, it had still taken him an annoying amount of minutes to make it to the Response Station and found that almost every other Elite currently in the Facility were already there. Though, admittedly, only he, Halling and Isen were technically on-alert, the other Elite crammed in the Emergency response Station were not cleared for action anymore and were here to provide logistic and strategic support.

Pushing his way into the crowded quiet room, Oneakka heard the voices echoing up loudly from the central console, and Halling, still Lead, stood in central position overseeing the situation.

" _We ha...visual lock_ ," a male voice stated brokenly from the speakers, the clipped accent and slightly angry edge to the professional words suggested the owner of the voice was Satedan. Oneakka slid between several more Elite, making his way to the central console and squeezing in beside Massa, who was stood over several screens displaying only limited data.

Oneakka frowned at the display. The Negese System? He recognised the name vaguely, but couldn't recall anything about it.

" _Can you identify the Hive as the same from Atreus_?" Another voice spoke out from the speakers. Oneakka tapped one of the screens, looking for more information.

"We have no visual feed coming in yet," Massa reported quietly. "Only the audio link frequencies we got through the radiation on Atreus are working."

That explained a little.

" _...are se...g...same enlarged...al hull_ ," the possibly Satedan voice reported through crackling static.

"Satedan?" Oneakka asked Massa.

"Yes," Massa confirmed softly. "There's a mining base on one of the moons, and the Satedan cargo ship was on a supply run there when the Hive appeared."

Oneakka nodded, but then frowned at the information he'd just found on the screen about the Negese System. He felt several of his colleagues leaning in close around him to look as well.

" _We are losing the integrity of your frequency,_ " the other voice stated to the Satedan Commander. " _Repeat last message_."

A burst of static was the only answer.

" _Satedan vessel Gunvor_ ," the voice called. " _Repeat_."

"Just a mining base?" Someone asked quietly around Oneakka's left shoulder.

Oneakka frowned down at his screen. The Negese System held only a handful of gaseous planets around a single sun, and nothing else useful except the mining base on a small moon.

"None of the planets are habitable," Oneakka confirmed for those around him.

Oneakka frowned across the console at Halling and Halling nodded that he too was confused. Why had the Wraith appeared there? There were no habitable planets to cull, just one mining base and a passing ship.

" _Deployment Station this is Mining Base Alpha, we are relaying with the Gunvor_ ," a new voice spoke out of the speakers. " _Radiation levels increasing the closer the Gunvor approaches the Hive."_

" _Tell the Gunvor not to engage_ ," the other voice commanded, now identified as from Deployment Station, but Oneakka knew the order would be ignored by the Satedan ship. It didn't matter if a Satedan was Commander of a battleship or a transport ship, they wouldn't run and hide from an attack.

" _Gunvor rep...ts...b...st of_ ," the report from the mining base was barely discernible in the growing static, but the note of panic in the broken up voice was clear.

" _Mining Base, report!"_

Oneakka looked over the screens in front of him, but there was nothing useful to see. The only live feed in from the Negese System was via the Links conversation playing out for all to hear. Next to him though, Oneakka watched as Massa started downloading in data, but it was taking its time. Oneakka leant closer, seeing that it was coming in via a longwinded route through the links system.

" _Deployment station this is Mining Base_ ," the voice suddenly re-appeared, the feed strong again. " _We had a massive burst of radiation and the Gunvor now reports that the Hive has gone_."

" _Repeat, Mining Base?_ "

" _The Hive has vanished_ ," the very relieved voice replied. " _It is no longer within sensor range_."

" _Understood Mining Base_."

" _The Gunvor is moving away from the radiation central point_ ," the voice added. " _Transmissions improving_."

" _Gunvor, this is Deployment Station, do you read?"_ Deployment Station asked out of the speakers.

Oneakka turned his attention to the screens again, watching as Massa finally had some packets of data through and he was opening them up to show visual recordings from sentry satellites, no doubt from around the Negese System.

Oneakka suddenly realised that Massa had Aki in the sling against his chest. The little boy was awake and was quietly watching what he could of the crowded room around him.

"Is the baby going to be helpful for this?" Oneakka asked Massa.

"If he is, it wouldn't be the first time he's saved the day," Massa pointed out, recalling Aki' perfectly timed cry that had distracted Karthig and helped save the Sythus. Massa now had satellite data recorded from several satellites in Negese and he pushed some feeds across to the other screens. Oneakka tapped into one on the screen in front of him, starting a search through several satellites' imagery, while another set of Elite hands did the same on another screen to his left.

" _...ent Station; are you reading us now?_ " The Satedan voice echoed up from the speakers.

" _Yes, Gunvor. Report._ "

Oneakka listened in with one ear, but the Elite next to him had found the images of the Hive from their satellite data and the time index helped Oneakka find the Hive in his feeds. The footage of the Hive was from various angles from around the system, but the computer was quickly set running comparisons to the Atreus data.

" _As we approached, the Hive started running away from_ us," was the very Satedan conclusion reported from the Gunvor. " _There was an intense burst of the radiation across all sensors, then a flash, and it was gone. Disappeared._ "

Just like it had from over Atreus.

But why?

"The Hive is identical to the one from Atreus," Massa announced from the screens.

"Did you hear that, Deployment Station?" Halling asked. "We have confirmation that it is the same Hive." Oneakka could see Halling bent over his screens on the other side of the console, seeing what Oneakka and the others had found. The Hive had the same enlarged shape and abnormal extra lump that was presumably the new drive tech, but, more importantly for identification, the surface damage from Atreus clearly matched.

That in itself was interesting. Why hadn't the Hive healed those injuries by now?

Damage to one of the Hive's fighter bays showed that the ships above Atreus had done a good job in their targeting before the Hive had disappeared. Which was all good information, because it meant this thing could be stopped despite its enlarged hull.

" _Confirmed, Elite Facility_ ," the voice replied.

" _There were no fighters launched,_ " the Satedan ship Commander added. " _No signs that they even locked weapons on us at our approach_."

"Radiation readings are also confirmed identical to Atreus and Amduat," Edfu reported off from the right, having taken over from Maja for the morning shift.

" _No further signs of the Hive_ ," the Commander added through the speaker. " _Radiation levels are noticeably reducing. We'll do some patrols around the system to make sure the Hive doesn't come back_."

"Understood, Gunvor," Halling was the one to reply.

Some back and forth then went on between Halling and Deployment Station about the high level Alliance wide alert, but Oneakka fixed his attention back on the images in front of him. The satellites that had been furthest away from the radiation had captured the best quality images of the Hive. Oneakka zoomed into one image which clearly showed scorch marks from weapons fire across the Hive's hull and visually compared them to images of the Hive from above Atreus. They were definitely the exact same scorch marks.

"Why hasn't it healed by now?" Massa asked, watching Oneakka's screen and echoing the same thought.

"Maybe the increased thickness of the hull means the regeneration takes longer?" Someone considered behind Oneakka.

"Possible," Massa nodded.

With Massa leant in close, Oneakka found his eyes drawn to baby Aki where he was strapped to Massa's chest and watching Oneakka. The baby grinned a drool drenched smile at Oneakka.

He couldn't help but smile back at the boy.

Only Aki immediately made him recall Seeal's comments.

He had no idea why he'd been willing to talk about his lineage, telling her Zopi' name, but he realised that he hadn't said his brother's name out loud in a very long time; he suddenly felt rather guilty about that.

Little Aki kept grinning, blissfully unaware of the concern going on around him. He just felt safe against his father's chest, with familiar faces around him.

Such fragile innocence.

It made Oneakka's chest tighten to think how vulnerable the baby was and he knew he would do anything to protect the babe if needed. Aki wasn't even his own blood, but the instinct to protect the infant was still strong, and it made Oneakka feel a flush of fearful cold just to think of what Seeal had said.

It wasn't like he hadn't thought about children of his own, for it would, as she had said, allow his Ugun blood and the lineage of Akireu to perhaps continue, but just the idea of it turned his stomach. He couldn't imagine what it felt like to be related to such a vulnerable thing as a baby of his own, to watch over it during its innocent youth, while knowing that, once the child was grown, that it would venture out into the uncaring and dangerous galaxy on its own.

He had helped save too many children to count, had literally carried babies to safety in his arms during a culling. Parents had willingly, and without thinking, pushed babes into his arms, trusting blindly that he would better protect their offspring than they could as they struggled to escape.

And he'd had to pick young children, crying and terrified, up off their parents' dead bodies.

He didn't need to live through that himself, with his own offspring. He'd already lost too much. He couldn't face the possibility of losing more.

Ever.

He snapped his eyes across the central console to Halling, the panicked fear returning, tightening up his throat. He'd almost been able to forget about the threat to Halling in all this. But, it was there still, eating away at his middle, waiting for the moment in the dark when Halling was alone and vulnerable.

He had to keep Halling alive.

Halling couldn't be further from a vulnerable infant, but, to Oneakka, he was family.

"Why use their new tech to jump into the empty system of Negese?" Massa asked loudly from Oneakka's right, cutting sharply through the worried anxiety. Oneakka realised he had missed some important conversation. Annoyed with himself, he mentally shoved all the fears and wayward thoughts out of his focus, fixing his attention on the discussion.

"Could the mining facility have been their target?" Someone suggested.

"There's hardly two hundred people working there," Edfu was the one to reply.

"Hardly much of a meal," Oneakka muttered. "Maybe it was a jump off point, to head on to another target?"

"The Negese System is closer to the border than Atreus was," Massa considered as he dropped his eyes to the Alliance map on the screen in front of him. "If they needed jump points, wouldn't we have noticed them on the way into Atreus before the first attack?"

"Unless their engines failed?" Halling considered.

"Or it is a cloaking field?" Oneakka added. "Maybe it failed and they've been sneaking around our space," he echoed Seeal's idea.

"No, the data we have analysed so far suggests that the Hive disappeared into some form of singularity, there is too much energy to be a simple cloak," someone answered from further back in the room.

"A _simple_ cloak?" Massa almost chuckled at that comment, considering that cloaking tech had still not been successfully implemented.

Oneakka considered the images of the Hive again.

"Unless they jumped into the system blind," he suggested. "They arrived in Negese too far from the mining base for it to be their target and it gave the Gunvor plenty of time to approach and engage them."

"And why did they leave so quickly?" Massa continued the questions. "The Hive had enough firepower to take on one lone Satedan ship."

"For some reason it was more important for the Hive to leave," a voice continued the logic from behind Oneakka; he thought it had been young Isen. The new Elite had done well on Atreus, learning fast.

"Perhaps to protect their new tech from us?" Oneakka considered.

"Good questions, but no sure answers yet," Halling replied. "All we can do for now is to study all the data gathered. We should have sensor downloads from the Gunvor and the mining base through soon. The team will need everything we can on this new tech to find ways to counter it."

"That the Hive runs reasonably quickly may suggest they are nervous," Massa suggested.

"Which gives us an advantage," Oneakka agreed at the idea.

"An advantage?" Young Isen asked from behind Oneakka's shoulder.

"If they're worried about something and trying to protect themselves, then it's important to us. Any weakness is valuable," Oneakka replied as he angled his head to see Isen over his shoulder. Elite were packed in behind him, most of them, though injured enough to keep them from battle, were younger than him.

Some days it seemed that most of the Elite were now younger than him.

The majority of the Elite that he'd grown up and trained with had fallen, and yet, somehow, he was still alive. All those dangerous places, all those battles he'd thrown himself into, and somehow he'd survived to an age that was probably close to what his father had been when the Wraith had destroyed Ugun.

His eyes slid back to baby Aki, who was chewing on a little fist and dribbling down the side of Massa's chest.

All those Ugun babies who had been killed...

He looked away again.

This was why he never opened up these wounds. There was nothing to be found in them but painful memories and aching empty unanswerable questions.

It was because of the threat to Halling.

And, maybe, because of Seeal. While they had agreed on the boundaries of friendship and were easily keeping to it, she had a way of making him act out of emotion. He'd gone to confront Myrtle and told her about the tapestry. Out of all the items in his quarters, she had known with one glance of the importance of the tapestry. Unlike most people, she had then directly asked him about it, finding the wounds easily. And he'd opened them, telling his new strangely unexpected friend about his people's belief in him.

A belief he had failed to fulfil for them. He'd brought down vengeance for them, but he'd not been able to save a single one of them.

He snapped his attention back across the room to Halling.

He hadn't been able to save his people, but he would do everything humanly possible to save Halling.

Whatever it took.

00000  
TBC


	19. The Ambush

**Note:** My thoughts go out to Mr Joe Flanigan who lost his home and all his belongings, as so many others have, in the horrendous wildfires.  
It almost makes me feel sorry for what is about to happen to John in this chapter...

000000

 **Chapter 19 – The Ambush**

Something had changed among the Humans. Mind Song could hear it in the distant voices echoing down the long corridors outside and in the air of adrenaline in the guards' movements when they occasionally looked in at him within his cell.

The cell around him was new and was at least a faint improvement upon the last. The stones were dry and the air smelt a little cleaner away from the dank rank of adjoining cells he had been imprisoned in of late.

Whenever they moved him they used a stunner, which always felt particularly insulting to have his own kind's technology used against him, but at least he'd woken again. They'd clearly taken some of his blood, judging by the small puncture wound on his inner arm. That the tiny injury had not yet fully healed told him how truly starved his body had become.

The burning pain of hunger long denied had begun to numb into a deep weakness that made his bones ache and his hands shake. He'd thought the tremors were residual effects from the stunner, but the shakes had begun to move up his arms as well.

He did not think he had ever been as hungry. Not even rising his mind up into the empty healing of the network was doing much to assist him. It was becoming almost too difficult to do even that. He needed sustenance or soon his body would fail him entirely.

At least his mind remained intact, for now.

Focusing on the distant sounds outside his prison helped focus his thoughts, but the single adjoining cell attached to his felt like torture. Looking in through the small opening of bars, he could see the empty space where the new captive would be housed.

His hands shook even more to think of the promise of that food.

He just needed to stay alive long enough to take even a tiny morsel the Humans would allow him.

The sounds outside the entranceway to his prison began to grow louder, with movement of boots and distant shouted commands. The air outside held an air of waiting potential – or was that just Mind Song's own desperate need?

Moving across his cell, his legs just about able to do as he commanded them, he reached the metal bars of the locked doorway out of his cage. The cold metal was normally a revolting contrast to the wonderful memories of the warm living walls of a Hive, but today the coolness felt all too good against his shaking palms. Resting his forehead against the bars, he let the cage support the weight of his head a little.

He just needed to keep breathing and keep his mind rational. To do so, he closed his eyes and focused his hearing on the two guards stationed just outside the entranceway off to the right. They had not been talking much, which was very irritating, but occasionally they talked. It was the only distraction he had.

He could hear them moving faintly, clothing moving, their breathing almost audible in the complete silence.

Mind Song focused on those small sounds, but, even those, seemed to make his body feel weaker. Food, so close, yet denied.

A distant door opened and closed, and in the moment that it moved on its slightly squeaking hinges, Mind Song could hear activity. Clearly, his guards had heard it too.

"D _o you think we're in any danger_?" One male whispered to the other.

" _They said the invasion on Atreus was short and the Hive vanished_." The other voice replied, fear clear in his words.

" _If Hives can appear and disappear into nothing, they could attack anywhere!_ "

Mind Song murmured against the bars, fluttering open his heavy eyelids. A disappearing Hive? That was interesting.

If a Hive attacked here, it could provide all the opportunity he needed to escape.

"... _don't know anything_..."

" _Now, more than ever, our people need the Commander_. _We're so close_."

" _If a Hive is terrorising Alliance space though-_ "

A loud sound reverberated down the corridor outside, cutting through the guards' conversation. New footsteps started up, marching towards the guards' position with a determined pace that seemed full of authority. However, Mind Song could tell instantly that the owner was not the Human group's usual leader.

" _The time is now_ ," a voice commanded. " _Marvin and Solue will relieve you. I want you both to barracks and into the new uniforms now._ "

" _Yes, Pranos,_ " both guards responded instantly.

" _Do we have Sheppard?_ " One guard asked.

" _The Commander and his Strike Force have located him. I want everything ready._ "

They almost had the new captive? Mind Song felt his heart jump in his chest, the anticipation oddly weakening him more than encouraging.

More footsteps were approaching, presumably the replacement guards. He could hear the adrenaline in their movements, the expectation of what was to come. Whoever this Sheppard was, they were all highly motivated about his capture. They had never behaved this way for any of the other captive Humans they had held over the years.

" _Any change with the Wraith?_ " The one called Pranos asked.

" _It's still alive, though it can barely stand up by itself_ ," one guard reported.

Mind Song bared his teeth to the empty air, angry at the description, despite its accuracy. He still had more than enough in him to drain the life from them all if they got close enough.

If only they would.

" _We'll have Sheppard here soon enough_ ," Pranos replied. " _Get to the barracks_."

" _Yes, Pranos_ ," the guards answered and their boots started away.

The scrape of the new guards' boots slid into place outside the near entranceway, and the air held a faintly new aroma that told of fresh clothing and oiled weapons. They were ready for battle it seemed.

One set of boots was moving into the prison though, moving in to stare at Mind Song and check he had not died presumably.

Mind Song pulled his body back from the bars, holding himself upright; though he had to keep one hand on the bars for some support. The tremors had started up through his legs now.

He fixed his eyes on the entranceway as a Human moved into view, the prey's eyes assessing him intently. Mind Song held his head high and watched in turn, keeping as casual a grip of the bars as he was able.

The prey stopped a long distance away from the cage's bars, not even faintly close to a reachable distance.

"You'll get to feed soon, Creature," the Human said. His tone and the tilt of his head were designed to present authority, but Mind Song could see and smell the fear around the prey.

Mind Song had seen this particular Human occasionally before, but now his voice identified him as 'Pranos' who had given the commands outside. He would be the usual Human Leader's Primary perhaps then; though, he clearly lacked the same intensity and command as the Leader.

Mind Song kept his eyes on the prey, willing him to move too close.

"You will do as you are commanded when the time comes," Pranos added.

"I remember the agreement," Mind Song replied, hearing the catching dryness in his own voice, but it was at least audible.

"Good," Pranos replied with what was supposed to be confidence, and turned to leave.

"I look forward to finally meeting the one called Sheppard," Mind Song hissed out.

Pranos looked back over his shoulder, frowning with clear annoyance that Mind Song knew the name of their important captive.

Mind Song smiled back, pleased with the reaction.

Pranos turned away again, disappearing out of the prison.

" _Watch what you say out here_ ," Pranos ordered the guards outside. " _It can hear you_."

Mind Song chuckled at that. Only the chuckle caught at his side, cramping up fatigued and atrophying muscles, and he let out a barking cough.

He turned from the bars, forcing his weakening legs to take him back across his cell. The far corner was full of nice dark shadows, promising rest out of sight and a faint chance to huddle for warmth. His body was failing him with a frightening quickness and he felt a thick depression falling upon him.

Reaching the shadows, he slumped down into the cold stone corner and wrapped his arms around himself.

He just needed to stay alive a little longer.

0000

The mission to M1K 177 hadn't been that bad. Dr Lindsay clearly had a good relationship with the local people of the medieval style village that was a good twenty minute walk from the Gate. Further farmers and fishermen from other villages had also turned up, packing into the nice local inn to listen to Dr Lindsay's talk, and then here had been a show-and-tell section out by a new irrigation ditch system that was being dug nearby. John hadn't really paid much attention to what the talk was about really, but then he and his team were there to keep a general eye on things and keep the Doc safe. Plus a good hour spent out in the nice warm sunshine had been a nice way for him and his team to return to missions that weren't attending a Conference or overseeing political negotiations.

Even Rodney had behaved himself; actually he'd been suspiciously quiet.

The talk and ditch discussions over, Dr Lindsay had said her goodbyes quickly, promising to be back next week, and they were wandering back to the Gate in very good time. While Cadman led the way along the well worn path, chatting away with Dr Lindsay, Ford took up the six, which left John to walk alongside the still worryingly silent Rodney. At first, John had assumed it was because Rodney hadn't wanted to come on this mission, but he'd not complained at all since the mission briefing, which only added to John's suspicions.

"Alright, McKay, what's up?" John demanded. "You're never this quiet."

"Nothing's up," Rodney snapped quickly, thereby proving the exact opposite.

"You barely said a word back there," John pointed out.

"And that immediately implies that something's wrong with me?" Rodney demanded, clearly affronted, but at least he was talking again. "Maybe I was working on some vitally important high level calculations in my head while you were all discussing the importance of the thickness of mud."

John frowned. "Was that what they were talking about?"

"At the end they were," Ford supplied from behind.

"I can be quiet and be doing something useful," Rodney muttered.

"We just rarely ever experience it," John teased.

Rodney glared and pulled a face, but again dropped back into silence.

"Fine," John looked away to the lovely sunlit trees around them, "don't share with the rest of the group. We'll just put up with your sulking."

"I'm not sulking," Rodney objected.

"Yes, you are," Cadman put in from further along the path, looking back over her shoulder. "Because Colonel Carter told you off yesterday."

"What?! No she didn't," Rodney protested instantly. "Who told you that?"

"I heard her," Cadman supplied quickly. "I was up in the Control Room and heard her shouting at you for being rude to the scientists at the Conference and ordered you to behave yourself while our guests are in the city."

John looked over his shoulder to share a smile with Ford.

"She didn't shout," Rodney objected as he slowed, glaring angrily at Cadman. By John's reckoning they were almost at the Gate, so there was no need to hurry him on.

"Fine, she raised her voice," Cadman amended her statement.

"Wow, McKay," John teased, "that must have hurt, given how big a crush you have on the Colonel."

Both Cadman and Ford chuckled.

"She's the one who's got a crush on me," Rodney spluttered.

"Yeah, right, McKay," Cadman rolled her eyes looking forward again.

"Yes, actually, it is right," Rodney argued. "Besides, I've got Katie now. Like you can all talk anyway," he stated as he stopped, fists on his hips. "Maybe we should talk about alien warrior wives, Ford's non-stop talking about that Alliance woman he met, and, Cadman, maybe I should mention how often you've been visiting Beckett in the Infirmary lately."

"Oh, really?" John looked to Cadman with interest. She looked away, but too late to hide her look of shock and her face turning pink.

"As far as I can see," Rodney continued, "I'm the only one of you who's in a long term _stable_ relationship."

"Hey, I'm the one who's _married_ ," John pointed out.

All eyes, even including Dr Lindsay's, suddenly focused on him with far too much interest. He replayed the point he'd made and realised that he might have given something away.

"Though, obviously, you know, it's a _Political_ Marriage," he explained, feeling slightly bad for saying it. He wasn't betraying Teyla.

"Yeah, because it looked like a tough call for you," Cadman said sarcastically as she turned away and started leading the way forward again along the path.

John frowned at that, but he wasn't about to ask and open up that can of worms. Besides, Rodney was moving forward again.

"You haven't been telling Katie about Carter have you?" Rodney asked Cadman as he hurried after her.

"It hasn't come up," Cadman replied. "I still don't know what she sees in-"

A burst of moving coloured light registered at the edge of John's vision a split second before a tree branch ahead of him exploded. Another blast of, what was now clearly energy weapons fire, smashed into the same tree.

"Everybody down!" John shouted as he turned quickly towards the cover of a tree to his left just off the path.

More weapons fire blasted past as John got his shoulder against the tree and then fired back in the direction of the attack.

A burst of what was now more like gunfire followed, peppering the vegetation off to his right and he pulled quickly back behind the tree, looking round to assess his team.

Ford was already behind cover a metre or so further down the path, on the opposite side to John, and Cadman already had Dr Lindsay stashed behind a tree and was dragging Rodney behind another by the back of his jacket. John was faintly aware of Rodney's loud complaints, but John focused back to the source of the attack.

"You see how many?" John shouted across to Ford as he sent another barrage of returning fire. He couldn't make out anything in the distance. Whoever they were, they had picked the direction off to the right in the dense thicket away from the path. All John could make out was some dark shadows moving between shrubs and trees.

"I can't get a good line of sight," Ford shouted back.

"The vegetation is too dense," Cadman shouted in too over the slamming fire.

"We need to pull back," John stated the obvious as he again fired around his tree, only the heat of another blast of an energy weapon hit a shrub near him and he pulled back behind the tree. He jabbed at his radio, which was far better than all the shouting, and peered through the trees to where he could see Cadman returning fire. "Cadman, get McKay and Lindsay to the Gate!"

"Yes, Sir!" She shouted back immediately, and John saw her pulling Dr Lindsay up and back.

"Cover fire, Ford!" John ordered as leaned out as much as he dared from his tree and fired in the direction where he now saw dark brown figures shifting further forward through the trees.

P90 fire sure curbed their enthusiasm though, as all of them instantly dropped down out of sight and the vegetation now danced with John and Ford's returning fire.

Risking a quick look back, John saw that he'd remembered right and he could faintly see the shine of sunlight on metal through the trees off to the left. The path turned a corner just a little ways back and then opened up into a glen that held the DHD and Gate. He just had to get all his team there safely.

"Fall back to the Gate!" John ordered Ford, knowing they had to move fast now or risk being outflanked on the way.

John fired as he walked backwards, nipping from behind one tree to another. "Cadman?" He called into his radio as Ford provided the next burst of fire towards their pursuers. "You got the Gate in sight?"

"We're almost there," Cadman's voice shouted back into John's ear.

"Dial out as soon as you can!" John shouted back as renewed energy weapons fire now buzzed through the air, catching alight several more plants.

Ford slid into place behind a nice fat tree across the path from John as the enemy sent their own barrage of fire back at them. The air over the path and around the trees filled with energy weapons fire and everything smelled of electricity and burnt bark.

"You got any idea who they are?" John asked Ford across the path, though most of his question went through his open radio mike.

"No, Sir," Ford replied as he leant round the far side of the large tree, peering back towards the assailants. "Just brown clothes."

More weapons fire blasted past.

"We need to pull back faster," John ordered as he set one shoulder against his tree. "Ready?"

Ford tensed, body held ready, and, as John nodded, they both stepped out of cover and fired into the trees.

Switching his eyes from the dancing bullet ridden vegetation, the trees behind him, and Ford moving along with him, John still couldn't see who it was who was ruining his day.

Ford was right, whoever they were they were dressed in simple brown clothes and John estimated there were at least six, if not more. His team were outnumbered.

"Cadman?" John called into his radio.

"We're at the Gate," Cadman's voice shouted back into his ear. "Dial it up faster, McKay!"

"Because the bullets flying past my head weren't motivation enough!" Rodney protested.

Behind a new group of trees, John pulled up and leant his shoulder against one, providing covering fire as Ford found his own cover and John heard the wormhole explode to life.

"The Gate is open!" Rodney's voice reported, but not just over the radio, but somewhere off behind the trees to John's left. The Gate was a stone's throw away.

"Let's move," John ordered Ford and they both stepped back and started firing together. "Get through that Gate!" John ordered the others. "Don't wait for us."

"Yes, Sir!" Cadman replied quick and professional. There was some more talking over the radio, but John focused on rapid sets of fire as he and Ford moved back again. A quick glance behind them, and John could see that he and Ford were almost at the turn in the path that would take them around the corner and directly towards the Gate.

"The Docs are through," Cadman reported loudly over the radio. "Atlantis knows we're coming in hot."

That was good at least.

"Fall back," John shouted across to Ford who was hunkering down and scurried around some annoyingly low shrubbery. "The Gate is just round the corner."

"Yes, Sir!" Ford replied and they both sent out bursts of fire as they hurried quickly backwards, right up to the turn in the path, Ford cutting through the trees off to the left. John looked around worriedly as he moved, but he couldn't see any brown outfits trying to outflank them yet.

"I see you," Cadman informed them. "The way is clear behind you."

Still firing, John risked looking back to see the wonderful welcoming glow of the active Gate and Cadman in front of it.

"I'll provide cover fire," Cadman shouted, both through the radio and down the short open space towards the Gate with a wide open field to the left, but trees thick to the right.

"Get to the Gate, Ford!" John ordered as he moved faster, trying to pick out targets now as their attackers were getting closer, seeing that John and his team were escaping.

Whoever they were, they were clearly using Alliance weapons. Well, some of them. He'd heard bullets hiding some trees, and the colours of the energy blasts varied, so he guessed they were maybe using anything they could find.

There wasn't any time to stop and ask for a full inventory though, so John just grabbed at Ford's shoulder. "Go! Go!" shouted as he pulled Ford with him.

Ford didn't need much persuasion and broke into a flat out run with John, Cadman supplying the promised covering fire.

"Go!" John shouted to Cadman as he and Ford passed the DHD. Risking looking back again as he ran, John couldn't see anyone following them, but they would probably cut through the trees to the right.

"Watch the trees!" John ordered as he slid to a halt and sent some P90 fire across the wall of the tree line to deter any ideas. "Cadman, get through the damn Gate!" John ordered as he fired at the trees again.

"Yes, Sir!" Cadman replied, Ford was almost to her.

John released his trigger finger, hearing the enveloping sound of Cadman stepping through the Gate.

"Get through the Gate, Ford!" John ordered next as he added some more fire towards the trees again to cover Ford. They were almost all through. "Now!"

With one last burst of fire, John dragged his eyes from the trees and just plain legged it the last couple of metres, Ford just a few feet ahead of him. John saw Ford reach the event horizon, the glowing silvery coating of the Gate embracing him.

Except something hard and painfully sudden slammed into John's upper back, and then he was jerked backwards, up off his feet. The sudden pull crushed the air out of his lungs and the world tumbled violently around him. Then he slammed flat to the ground, his head spinning.

He gasped in a desperately needed breath, tasting grass and dirt against his mouth, and he blinked open his eyes to the dark ground under him.

Had he been shot?

Then he heard the horrific sound of the Gate deactivating. His way home!

He looked up towards where he vaguely guessed was the direction of the Gate, only to instead see a circle of dark boots moving in around him.

"Get that Portal dialled now!" A voice shouted loud from somewhere.

His head starting to clear, and his inner ear once again certain which direction 'down' was, John pushed his upper body up off the ground, watching as the Gate started lighting up. If they got a lock, then Atlantis couldn't get to him! No reinforcements.

The circle around him closed in further though, limiting his view of the Gate, and he peered further up to see that there was also a circle of weapons pointed at him.

He was in trouble.

Movement from off to the right caught John's attention though and he looked round to see a long dark coat and an overly shiny double-barrelled weapon held in one hand.

The owner of the weapon began to crouch down and John's vision was now perfectly clear to instantly recognise who it was.

A cold wave of shock passed over him.

He was in _serious_ trouble.

"It is good to see you again, Major," Kolya said with that overly smug smile that John remembered all too well.

"Kolya," John named the man who had been haunting his life these past two years.

Beyond the circle of boots, John heard the Gate burst to life and, with it, his last chance of any immediate rescue. He didn't dare risk taking his eyes off Kolya though.

So, was this going to be how he died? Laid out on the grass, Kolya taking one last moment to gloat before he shot John dead?

Kolya was still smiling. "I'm afraid you'll be coming with us, Major."

Going with them – alive?

If they took him off-world, how was Atlantis going to get to him?

"Going where?" John asked.

Kolya stood up, sunlight glinting off that large double-barrelled shotgun he held out to one side. One of his brown-dressed minions stepped forward and took it, and John realised that the ropes hanging out of the shotgun were attached to him, wrapped around his own leg and arm. So that was how they had stopped him.

Looking up from the ropes, John glanced around at the circle of men. They weren't dressed in their usual Genii uniforms, but, surely, they had to be Kolya's excommunicated force that Teyla had told him about.

"You're going to pay for your crimes against the Genii people," Kolya supplied as he moved aside one side of his dark coat to reveal a large gun on his hip.

Despite the worrying weapon, John frowned up at Kolya's smug smile. " _My_ crimes?!"

Kolya's smile dropped away. "Yes, Major. Your continuing crimes to pollute the Genii' reputation, for stealing the Political Marriage contract, and for your part in the death of a close friend of mine."

John frowned at that, confused, but he could see that Kolya was deadly serious. John dropped his gaze back to the weapon on Kolya's hip, which was now being pulled out.

"I haven't killed anyone," John returned, watching as Kolya held the Alliance looking gun at his side, his coat falling back into place.

Kolya took a step closer and then crouched down again, the hand holding the gun resting against one knee.

Kolya's eyes were hard and dark as he glared down at John. "You may not have thrust the fatal blow, but you helped the Elite track down and kill a woman I held in high regard."

If John hadn't been worried before, this new element brought a whole new level of concern. He licked his lips as he stared up at Kolya. "Iketani," he guessed.

Kolya nodded. "Yes, Major."

John considered making the point that Iketani had been the aggressor in everything that had happened, but it was clear that Kolya wasn't in any mood to hear that kind of logic.

"All actions must face their consequences, Major," Kolya continued, that smug smile returning, but it was now clear to John why Kolya had wanted him dead. Vengeance.

He was in so much trouble.

John watched as Kolya stood up again, that gun held tight in his hand. John still had his side arm on his own hip, but there were too many weapons pointed at him. It would be stupid to try anything.

"I used to have a great deal of respect for you, Major," Kolya continued. "And I'm sorry for how you will meet your end; no soldier should die the way you're going to."

John frowned up at that.

"But, at least your death will repay your debt for your part in Iketani' murder, and it will serve a far greater purpose for the Genii people."

John had no idea what the hell that meant

He opened his mouth to object, but Kolya lifted his gun, the barrel filling John's view.

"Goodbye, Major," Kolya stated and a bright blast of energy filled John's world.

000000  
TBC


	20. The Inertia

**Note:** Little bit of a wait for this chapter, sorry - I've had a nasty case of laryngitis, which is not nice and keeping silent is always difficult for a chatterbox like me. Christmas shopping is almost complete and the decorations need to go up soon – lots to do and not much time for it. I hope everyone is well (some nasty bugs about) and thank you to everyone who kindly reviewed the last chapter – clearly a favourite for people. I wonder why... Honestly, poor John. Anyway, onto more bad times for John...

00000

 **Chapter 20 – The Inertia**

It had taken twelve minutes of constantly dialling back into M1K 177 until they had finally gotten a lock. Sam had immediately sent through two teams of Marines, and the remaining part of John's team, in hopes that they would still arrive in time to be the rescue they all wanted it to be.

The report that had come back was actually one of the worst a Commander could hear though – there was nothing to be found on M1K. No sign or clue of what had happened to John, outside of numerous weapons scorch-marks on the surrounding trees. Whoever they had been, they had even taken the time to brush clean the ground surrounding the Gate. There wasn't even a boot-print as a clue as to what had happened to John.

Sam's only hope was that the Marines sweeping the surrounding area would find something – hopefully the Major. But, then, the life-signs detectors hadn't picked up anything or registered his transmitter locally and he hadn't responded to any radio calls.

As she headed across the Control Room to the short set of steps down to the landing overlooking the newly activated incoming wormhole, Sam looked back towards where Sumner and Jack where frowning worriedly over Zelenka's shoulder as the latest information was coming in from the teams on M1K.

"Is Jumper One ready?" Sam asked.

"Yes, Ma'am," Chuck answered her quickly.

Sam nodded as she stepped down onto the landing and turned towards the active Gate in time to see Rodney explode through the event horizon, Ford a fast step behind him. They spotted her immediately at the top of the steps and hurried across the open floor of the Gate Room.

It was hardly the first time she'd been stuck in the City, removed from being able to help in a practical way in the latest crisis, but waiting at the top of the stairs rather than in the Control Room felt like something.

"Anything new?" She asked the two men as they jogged up the stairs. On any normal day, seeing McKay jog anywhere would be worthy of a comment, but not today. Not now.

"I've got the last fifty or so Gate addresses that were dialled," Rodney reported what she already knew. "Which one is the right one is anyone's guess," he added with worried, and slightly angry, bitterness.

"Nothing new from the surrounding woodland?" Sam asked Ford as they both reached her.

"Not yet, Ma'am," Ford replied, sounding slightly out of breath. "Maybe Dr Lindsay can help get some local knowledge, but the locals seem just as freaked as us. They say they heard the weapons fire and just hid, thinking it was the Wraith attacking us."

"Are there any signs on the ground that he fled into the forest?" Sam asked, despite already having had the report through the wormhole.

"Nothing," Ford confirmed with a heavy shake of his head. "Whoever they were, they covered their tracks completely."

"Is there any chance that he's being held in the local village?" Sam asked next.

"He's not there," McKay insisted.

"There's no sign of his transmitter," Ford replied more logically, his face drawn. "If I had just-"

"There is no point in blaming yourself, Lieutenant," Sam cut him off. "What we need to do is make absolutely certain that he's not somewhere in that forest."

If John had gotten away but was injured, he could he holed up somewhere out of range of the handheld life-signs detectors. It was possible that he'd lost his radio or was unconscious.

Or...

Sam turned, leading them back into the Control Room, and maybe also away from her darkest of thoughts of what might have happened to John.

"They'll not have risked keeping him on M1K," McKay argued from behind Sam's shoulder as she headed towards Sumner and Jack, who were waiting and already listening.

"Send the Jumper," Sam ordered Sumner and he nodded sharply.

"Get that Gate shutdown," Sumner ordered Chuck before reaching up to his radio mike. "Jumper One, you have a go. I want you through the Gate and scanning the immediate area from above."

The Jumper's sensors would be able to cover all of the neighbouring area for John's transmitter. If he was still on M1K, even if he was dead, the Jumper would find him.

" _Yes, Colonel_ ," the response faintly registered in Sam's own radio earpiece.

"He's not on M1K," Rodney insisted again as Sam moved into her former place next to Jack at the main command console. Zelenka was sat in front of her, two laptops glowing with the latest maps of the local area around M1K 177.

"We need to be certain, McKay," she explained, not that she didn't agree with him for the most part. "I want you to run all fifty of those Gate addresses through the database, see what they turn up."

"They won't work," Rodney protested though. "Whoever did this was smart about it and they'll have just gated off to another world from wherever they went first."

Sam made a conscious effort to will herself some patience as she turned to face McKay. His face was taut, almost panicked.

"I agree, but we still need to follow the trail," she replied calmly.

In the Gate Room, Sam heard the new outgoing wormhole explode to life, and she glanced out towards it to see the belly of Jumper One descending from the ceiling. The Jumper would be through within seconds and the scans wouldn't take much longer.

Their response had been quick, but in no way quick enough.

"You are cleared to proceed through, Jumper One," Chuck announced from the left and also through Sam's radio earpiece.

As she glanced towards the glowing Ancient DHD, Sam noticed that Woolsey was stood on the other side, nervously leaning against it. As the Jumper disappeared into the freshly opened wormhole back to M1K, Woolsey stepped forward.

"Why take Major Sheppard?" Woolsey asked, appearing confused and pale, or perhaps that was just the up-lighting from the glowing crystals of the DHD. The bureaucrat had happened to be up in the Control Room talking with Jack and Sumner about the Elite when John's team had abruptly returned while under fire.

The Elite...Sam wondered if they might be able to help with this in some way.

" _Flight, this is Jumper One_ ; _do you read_?" the radio frequency lit up in Sam's ears.

"Jumper One, this is Flight," Chuck responded, the atmosphere shifting in the Control Room as everyone listened intently.

"What have you got, Matthews?" Sam asked of the experienced pilot on the other end of the radio.

"I'm above the forest and I'm not detecting Major Sheppard's transmitter signal in any direction; in fact there are no other human life-signs in the immediate area, outside of our own people sweeping out from the Gate."

Sam let out a quiet sigh of disappointment. If John had managed to get away from his pursers and hidden, it would have been the perfect outcome. But, at least it meant that he wasn't lying out dead somewhere on M1K.

"Understood, Jumper One," Sam replied. "Can you please go up into orbit, under cloak, and just run a complete sweep of the planet. Just to be certain."

" _Yes, Ma'am_ ," Matthews replied instantly.

If John hadn't been moved elsewhere on M1K, or wasn't being held in a ship in orbit over the planet, then it meant that he had been taken off-world through the Gate. Sam turned to her people, her mind working fast through the possibilities.

"Woolsey makes a good point," Jack was the one to start the conversation though as a small circle formed by the main console, all eyes on Sam. "Why take the Major?"

"You're thinking this is someone from the Alliance?" Sam guessed.

"The weapons fire we heard included energy weapons," Lieutenant Ford repeated his earlier speedy verbal report. "They had to be from the Alliance."

"We know that Alliance energy weapons are smuggled out beyond their border," Sumner put in. "But we do know one man who has been out to get Major Sheppard for some time now; and who has access to Alliance weaponry."

Sam fixed her gaze to Sumner's. "Kolya," she had considered the same.

The Colonel nodded, his opinion clearly decided.

"For what reason?" Rodney interjected. "So far Kolya has tried to kill the Major at any chance he got. Why now kidnap him and drag him off-world?"

"You're assuming that he hasn't already killed the Major," Sumner responded bluntly.

The mood of the group shifted instantly, the less military-minded finally catching up on Sam's worst inward conclusions.

"If they had just killed him, why take him off-world?" McKay asked, the words catching slightly in his throat. Lieutenant Ford's face was pained beside him.

"Maybe to display the body somewhere; make a political point. Maybe Kolya hired some mercenaries and they needed the body as proof," Sumner provided some gruesome possibilities.

"If they'd just been out to kill Major Sheppard, they had plenty of time when they were chasing us through the trees-" Rodney argued, clearly getting agitated.

"Let's just," Sam interrupted as she held up her hands, stopping the negative spiralling, "assume for now that the Major's alive and that someone has taken him off-world. Our most likely suspect is Kolya, though we know there are others who might have energy weapons; including the Travellers. We need readings of the weapons damage back on M1K and perhaps we can pin down the weapons used."

"Maybe the Elite could help with that," Jack put in.

"That's what I was thinking," Sam met his eyes.

"Are we sure we want to include the Elite just yet?" Woolsey put in with a pinched expression.

"Why not?" Sam asked, fixing her eyes on him.

"Major Sheppard may be recovered quickly, so, before we inform them that we've lost Elite Emmagan's husband, maybe we should-"

"What's the point of the damn contract if we don't use their resources?" Sumner interrupted him.

"And we didn't _lose_ him," Rodney objected. "He was _taken_ ; probably _because_ he's Elite Emmagan's husband."

"Let's," Sam interrupted firmly again, working to forestall an imminent argument, "get the data back on the weapons damage first, see if Lieutenant Cadman's teams have found any other clues in the woodland, and by then Jumper One should have checked in again. McKay, I need you to get working on those Gate addresses, and then we can reassess the situation and inform the Elite at that point."

And if someone, maybe Kolya, had taken John for a reason, then surely Atlantis would be hearing from them very soon.

She just had to hope that they had kept, and would keep, John alive.

0000

The Incident Room was full of people beyond the console in front of Halling. Given that several hours had now passed since the last appearance of the target Hive, he'd made the decision to move the base of operations into one of the Facility's incident rooms. In here, all those working on the many questions around the new attacks were all in one place. All of the analysts, technicians, engineers, and non-active Elite working strategy oversight were together in the large room, able to work more effectively together and enabling a free-flow of information and ideas. If the Hive attacked again, which was unfortunately highly likely, the Emergency Response Station was only a door away for Halling and the other Elite.

For now, every console, table, display screen and electronic pad was working overtime as every snippet of information was gathered, analysed, and shared. Which was another purpose for the Incident Room.

Halling dropped his gaze to the main Lead console in front of him. All of the links channels were alight and the technician stood on the other side of the console nodded that the camera focused on Halling was recording. The recording was for the official record, but would also be accessible for any Elite unable to listen in via link in real time.

"If I can have everyone's attention?" Halling called into the large room and immediately the noise of conversation died away, all turning towards him for the latest update on the incident.

From the room or over link, all ears were listening to him, all eyes on him, waiting for the latest information and analysis update.

Halling tapped the first command on his console and looked over his shoulder as the massive screens on the main wall behind him lit up with images.

"What you are seeing is the latest composite information of the target Hive, compiled from visual capture and sensor data from Atreus and the Negese System's engaging ships and local sentry satellites," Halling introduced the new main image displayed large and central just above his shoulder. All eyes were focused up on the turning image.

"Analysis of small fragments of the Hive's hull collected from the orbital battle site over Atreus have confirmed, along with all sensor scans, that the Hive is, at least in regards to its hull, a standard Wraith Hive ship," Halling reported as he tapped another button, sending the display through a series of more detailed images that he'd selected for the report.

"All analysis confirms the usual components of a Hive's hull, albeit that this one is excessively enlarged, particularly in one area, the aforementioned likely new drive pod," Halling explained as he looked over his shoulder to the displays. "As yet, we have no firm details on what exactly this new drive does or how it does it, but we are assuming at this stage that it is the source of the new type of radiation.

"Scans from above Atreus and in the Negese System, confirm that there was an intense burst of energy and the radiation as the Hive arrived and also just prior to its departure."

He triggered up the next screen and looked back to the faces watching. To one side, Massa stood with Oneakka, both well aware of what the screen was about to display, but both still watched the new frozen image behind Halling.

"The visual recordings that you are about to see were captured from various angles and distances, and have been cleaned up through various filters to cut through the static created by the radiation. These recordings capture the moment that the target Hive disappears from orbit above Atreus and then when it disappears from the Negese System."

Halling triggered the recordings to play and turned to watch them himself, though he had studied them thoroughly since they'd finally been ready to share.

The first recording was captured from one of Atreus' defence ships that had been just a perfect distance from the Hive during its departure that the radiation hadn't blocked the visual capture. However, the recording was still filled with lines of static, even after the tech teams had cleaned it up as much as they could.

The Hive could be seen turning on the recording, explosions lighting up across one side of the ship as the defence fleet and the Alliance fighters barraged one of the Hive's fighter bays.

"At this point, the radiation increases in a massive burst," Halling reported and the recording flickered and buzzed with interference, but there was enough to see something flash to life in front of the Hive's nose and then a split second later the Hive seemed to vanish. The room murmured in response.

"These next recording shows the same from a different angle," Halling watched as another recording played, captured by an Atreus sentry satellite, showing the flash of light again but with far less static interference, but from much further out. "And now the same departure moment when the Hive disappeared from the Negese System," he reported as another image started.

"This was recorded by the Satedan Transport vessel The Gunvor as it approached the Hive on a sharp intercept course," Halling explained the fast moving images. Again the Hive was turning, moving its backside towards the approaching Gunvor, and there was a burst of static across the screen, though slightly reduced this time. "The Gunvor had already been briefed on the radiation signatures and was able to implement some extra filters, and was therefore able to capture more sensor data on the departure."

As before, there was a flash of light in front of the Hive, though this time it seemed to have a circular halo effect to it. There were more murmurs of quiet discussion in response to that. Not all in the room had seen this yet.

"Let's now replay that recording at a slower speed," Halling tapped the command into his console and the recording replayed, but running far slower.

The Hive was turning away from the approaching Gunvor, swinging its side with the slightly damaged fighter bay away first, and then there was the same flash of light ahead of the Hive. However, this time the slower speed showed that the burst of light formed a clear circular shape in front of the Hive and, a moment later, the Hive appeared to blur towards it, and it vanished completely in the next frame of the recording.

Whispers filled the Incident Room, no doubt every expert in the place immediately having opinions and ideas.

"I will play that again," Halling repeated the slow paced recording for everyone. "As we can now clearly see, there is an opening of sorts ahead of the Hive, not unlike how a hyperspace window opens. However, this clearly isn't exactly the same. The sensor readings do not match a hyperspace window and the Hive does not appear to simply fly into the opening. It is possible that there is something like a singularity being formed, but, again, sensor readings are unclear as yet." Halling set the recording to replay once again behind him as he turned back to the room. "There is also still the possibility that what we are seeing is some sort of cloaking field that encompasses the Hive and conceals it from any of our sensors. All analysis is, obviously, ongoing."

Massa raised his hand and Halling nodded towards him, knowing the point that Massa was going to make for all listening.

"There is some speculation that the Hive is using a wormhole drive," Massa asked. "Do we have any new data suggesting this might be correct?"

"We know that a wormhole drive is theoretically possible," Halling summarised what had been explained to him by the top experts stood just off to the left. "However, the readings captured so far do not match anything we have recorded from the Portal system before, and the energy readings of this new tech, though significant, are nowhere near the vast amount that is required to open up a wormhole as we know it."

He tapped several commands on the Lead console and looked over his shoulder as a new enlarged image of the Hive appeared on the display screens. Lines of information and data analysis played around the image.

"Whatever the tech is, what is clear is that the target Hive has chosen to retreat on two occasions, which is very unusual for the Wraith. Some of this may be because they have appeared in our territory and they are being cautious, but it may also be that they wish to keep this new technology out of our hands," Halling continued to the room. "With that in mind, and the importance of finding out what this new tech is, it is vital that we do everything possible to disable this Hive rather than destroy it. If needs must, then the Hive will be destroyed, but, all primary objectives are to disable and board the Hive. This is particularly important as it is possible that this tech might have been shared already."

Halling triggered up some new displays behind him. "There were three Wraith fighters on Atreus that were shot down intact enough for their computer modules to be analysed. From these we have been able to identify that all three fighters were originally from different former Hives, two of which were known to have been destroyed in the former Nest System battle. This corresponds with our theory that the Cruisers currently attacking our border near the Nest System are working with this target Hive."

More whispers of conversation started up.

"Therefore, we are running with the theory, for now, that this Hive, the Cruisers, and the mixture of fighters used, are all survivors of the Nest System alliance of Queens, and that this is an attack of retribution for our victory over them. It is possible that this new drive tech was developed by one or more of those Queens, which means that the tech may have been shared among the Cruisers and perhaps to a wider number of Wraith."

Halling called up a new image behind him which displayed a galaxy wide map of Alliance space. "What we can be absolutely certain of so far, is that there have now been three points of attack by the target Hive. There was Atreus," Halling tapped the console and a red light lit up on the map of the Alliance's space, "there was the Negese System," another light lit up some distance from Atreus. "And finally, we believe that Amduat was also attacked and destroyed by the same Hive." A third light joined the other two.

"There is a huge distance between these three points and, so far, we have not been able to identify any common features of these three areas that might explain why they were the attack points. However, as you can see on the display, all three are all on one half of our territory, and therefore there may be some restriction of distance for the new tech. Obviously, this is only a theory at this point."

Halling pressed another sequence on the console, populating the map with further information. "In preparation for another appearance of the Hive, we have Elite stationed on 81% of Alliance planets, moons, and primary stations. All Alliance satellites have been updated with the radiation signature of the Hive, all systems remain on high alert, and Battle Station and Deployment Station stand ready."

Halling turned back to his audience.

"For now, we have no clear method of predicting where the Hive might appear next, but we have every expert possible working on analysing what we have, and any further appearance will provide us with more data. As said before, our objective is to capture the Hive as intact as possible, but obviously protection of life is the ultimate primary focus."

Heads were nodding around the room as everyone had finished studying the map behind him. Their faces were somewhat grim but determined.

"Does anyone present have any questions?" Halling asked.

One hand appeared to one side and Halling nodded in that direction.

"Are the Fleet attempting to capture the Cruisers over destroying them?" a voice asked from the sea of bodies. "The Cruisers are surely in communication with the Hive."

"Indeed," Halling agreed. "If we can gain access to their inter-ship communications it will provide us with a wealth of information. However, the Cruiser strike attacks are seemingly at random points and are very quick, which it is making capture somewhat difficult with the Fleet spread so thin. Any further questions?"

There were no immediate responses.

"All data is available for all Elite to access through the usual restricted channels, and we will provide ongoing standard updates," he began to wrap up the report. "Any new sightings or developments will be reported instantly."

Halling looked across the large room, backlit by the many screens set around the walls of the Incident Room. In all the troubles that had plagued his thoughts of late, he knew that it was in times like this that he could be the Elite he was supposed to be. He had been able to focus again with clear purpose and experience today. He had no idea what ancient deadly enemy was waiting for him in the future, but he knew how to fight the Wraith.

If this was to be his last battle against a known enemy, then he could at least give this his all. For, if Sitayi' revelation had proven anything to him, it was that he would live long enough to face the unknown new enemy. So, for now, he could throw everything into this fight against the Wraith.

For now, he was useful.

"Let's get this Hive," he concluded to the room.

0000

The world slid back to John in small vague sensations.

Sounds came in and out of focus, his mind slipping in and out of drifting sleepiness. There was a repeating sound of something creaking and, occasionally, low voices murmuring.

It was only after awhile that John realised that he, and the world outside his eyelids, was rocking back and forth. The constant rocking was only adding to the sleepy, stunned feeling of his body and made it somehow more difficult to understand what was going on.

A sudden rush of sensation flooded over him though, snapping his awareness into sharper focus; the sensations of Gate travel unmistakeable.

He forced his eyes open, but everything was dark and smelt like oat bran. He tried to focus on what was in front of him, but it all seemed too difficult.

He could hear more voices now, but distant and he couldn't make out what they were saying. His mouth felt dry and his tongue tingly, which seemed all too familiar, not that he understood why.

His vision was focusing a bit now, and he managed to lift his head enough to be able to focus on what he'd been using for a pillow – it looked like a sack of grain or something.

He peered up beyond the burlap. The space felt small and confined around him and it was definitely rocking, and creaking.

Was he in a cart or something?

Frowning into the gloom, he could make out a few small pinpoints of light, which helped add some depth to the enclosed space around him. He focused on one little circle of light, only to realise that it was a hole. He couldn't see anything through the distant little hole, but he was almost certain it was sunlight outside. If he could just persuade his heavy body to move...

Only, something else moved amidst the creaking darkness.

John managed to turn his head enough on his reluctant neck to see shadows moving within the darkness.

"...he's waking up," a whispered voice was just discernible.

"Stun him again," another voice replied from somewhere behind John.

Panic shot through John's body, instantly bringing with it some more awareness of his slumped numb body. He needed to do something, except he only seemed to be able to move his head; the rest of him just wasn't listening to his mental commands to defend himself.

All he could do was lift his head higher to see one of the helpful pinpoints of light shine its tiny stream of sunlight across the barrel of a gun pointed towards him.

John opened his drool-filled mouth to object, but it was useless. There was a bright blinding flash of light and everything dropped away.

00000  
TBC


	21. The Hostage

**Note:** I couldn't leave you all with such a small chapter yesterday, so here's a very eventful chapter... Poor John :(

00000

 **Chapter 21 – The Hostage**

The Skerti Queen was angry; her frustration and irritation pressing down across the Hive like a physical weight. Around Long Sleep he could see the effect of that pressure on the increasingly weakening Keepers working around him. They appeared to actually be in pain when there was a particular rush of annoyance from the Queen, their bodies seeming to buckle down towards the floor as if she were pushing her mighty mind down on them.

Long Sleep remembered that pressure himself, as she had focused on him like that once before, but, fortunately, she had so far kept her mental focus away from him. He suspected that was due to the fact that he had been the one rushing around the Hive, galvanising all the Keepers, and any warriors with some technical skill, into service to assist him in keeping the Hive together.

The last jump of the new drive had been a complete waste, as the space into which they had arrived had apparently been almost devoid of any life and an Armoured Herd's ship had immediately intercepted them. The Queen had ordered an instant retreat, using the damned drive yet again and, it being too soon after the first jump, the structural weaknesses across the Hive had failed like never before.

Long Sleep, his body and mind once again full of focus and energy thanks to his short life-force gift from the Primary, had not stopped working since. He'd given orders left and right, ignoring his place of a simple Keeper and fortunately all had complied with his instructions. Actual fissures had opened up throughout the Hive, breaking power lines apart, tearing structural membranes, and spilling nutritional fluids across too many decks. He had organised multiple groups throughout the Hive, using Keepers to lead and other warriors to assist in each group to physically repair the breaks and stop the leaks of essential nutrition fluids from being wasted. Every droplet of the fluid was needed for every cell of the Hive to stay strong under the effects of the radiation and help to physically hold the ship together.

The Hive was failing, just as he had warned the Hive Primary, which the Queen could clearly see and she was not pleased. Her impatience for the repairs to be completed hung over all.

Long Sleep didn't care what she liked or wanted though, for right now he focused his entire being on saving the Hive and all in it. His mind wrapped up tightly and his mental clarity refreshingly returned, he worked hard, moving around the Hive to supervise all the many repairs as best he could.

Though, this particular fracture point was one of the worst. There was a large chest-wide crack cut through one side of a corridor, the floor beneath it flooded with sticky dried nutrition fluid and more still dripping from the edges of the raw wound. His entire body squeezed into the fracture, Long Sleep reached up overhead though the tight space to feel along the bone graft he had screwed into place. He had forgone all attempts to use the usual approaches to just encourage the Hive's healing and instead had ordered literal spikes and bolts be used to brace these serious breaks and only then to apply new bone grafts. The structural skeleton of the Hive had to be held together or they had no chance at all.

The only good news from the last two jumps was that the former repairs he had overseen on the air filtration and circulation system had held well. The techniques he had employed there had worked to help hold those vital systems together, which gave him some hope that the Hive was still salvageable.

"Is it holding?" One of the Keepers asked from below Long Sleep's armpit, the warrior's head and one shoulder squeezed in beside Long Sleep. He held up the next bolt ready for Long Sleep, but it was perhaps unnecessary now.

"It is sealing in already," Long Sleep replied through slightly gritted teeth as he stretched up further, running his slickened fingertips over the top of the new graft and bolts. With so much escaped nutrition liquid in here, it was at least helping speed up the healing.

"What about the wall?" The Keeper asked worriedly, wincing slightly as the Queen's mind rumbled over them.

"This needs to heal first," Long Sleep replied as he dropped his tired arms and shook some life back into them.

Pulling out of the tight space, he stepped back out into the corridor to reassess the massive fracture. Only, he noticed that the air felt cooler out here. Long Sleep frowned at that awareness. He'd been pressed in against the warm living walls of the Hive within the fracture, but still it felt far cooler out here than before.

"Interface," he waved a hand towards the Keeper, requesting the small device hooked up to the closest interface point with the Hive. The warrior picked up the device and handed it to Long Sleep, its long attaching vein dripping from having lain in the spilt fluids on the floor.

Long Sleep consulted the interface quickly and let out a frustrated sigh. "They haven't gotten the repairs from the engine output completed yet." Without those, the excess heat from the engine pods could not be transferred around the Hive to keep the ship's living cells, and all on board, warm against the press of vacuum cold penetrating in through the hull.

Long Sleep peered back into the fracture. He could see the exposed section of bone was still repairing itself. He had overseen the most important part.

He handed the interface back to the waiting Keeper. "Get these sides drawn together, brace it well and grow the thickest membranes."

The warrior's drained pallor seemed to pale further, but he nodded.

Long Sleep didn't have to time to watch over his shoulder, so turned away, moving carefully through the sticky patches on the wet floor and pieces of torn removed membranes, and then hurried quickly towards the next repairs that needed his clear thinking.

Plans on escape or sabotage of the new drive still swam around his head, though well concealed within the strong walls of his mind, but for now he had to keep this Hive in one piece.

And watch for an opportunity that might present itself.

00000

This time John woke up to the uncomfortable sensations of being dragged along a chilly floor. His knees and lower legs bumped along the floor and two big painful things were pulling him forward by his shoulders.

Blinking open his eyes, John frowned up at the stone walls passing by on either side. Rolling his head to one side, John realised that he was being carried/dragged by two of Kolya's brown-dressed goons.

His view of the ceiling above them became a doorway and then another ceiling. John lowered his head to watch a concrete floor moving below him, all the small bumps in the floor jarring up though his kneecaps.

Lifting his head back up, his next sight was metal bars fast approaching ahead.

Oh crap.

He tried to fight back a little now, his arms, though tingly and his fingers numb, responded to him this time, and he managed to get one of the goons to stumble slightly. But it was too late, because they were dragging him between two sets of bars and then they dropped him.

The concrete floor rushed up to meet John's face.

He hit it softer than he had expected, which was probably because his limp arms had folded down under him, cushioning his fall. Behind him, the loud clang of what was clearly the metal prison door slamming shut, sent small sharp aches through his head, and the marching beat of the boot steps moving away annoyed John instantly. They'd just dumped him like one of those oat bran sacks back in the cart. Or had he dreamt that?

He worked to press his tingling hands against the concrete and lifted his head and upper body up off the floor to look up and round. The cage door was definitely shut and he could see the backs of the two goons rounding a corner and disappearing from view.

"Hey, I ordered a room with a sea view," John managed to vaguely shout after them.

He groaned as he worked to push himself up further onto one butt cheek and blinked around at his decidedly non-sea view room.

"They'll be sorry once they see my review online," he muttered to himself as he used his heavy hands to push himself onto both butt checks now so that he was finally sitting upright.

God he hated stunners. Well, he guessed they were better than a bullet, but today didn't appear to be getting any better.

He assessed the room around him. His cell.

There were three solid walls and the cage front, though there was one small opening filled with bars in one wall, but that seemed to just look into another cell next door. So there were no helpful little windows looking out on the view of a nicely identifiable planet outside. No obvious way to send out a signal for help from some helpful passerby.

This hotel really sucked.

Now he was noticing things, he realised that the air felt stale and smelt sort of musty. Clearly no one had opened any windows here in a long time. Which probably all meant the obvious – he was underground. Typical Genii hiding underground. So, he was in a bunker on some unidentifiable world, and, considering that Kolya had free rein to visit any planet outside the Alliance, John could be damn well anywhere.

Well, he wasn't going to just sit here nicely and wait for his fate.

"I want to talk to Kolya!" He shouted, not that he could see any guards, but he would bet there were plenty nearby making sure he didn't escape.

No answer came back.

"Kolya!" John shouted loudly. If they thought they could just ignore him, then they were very mistaken. "This has got to be the stupidest move you've ever made! Kolya!"

"You are wasting your breath," a rough-edged low voice arrived from the left.

John snapped his eyes to the opening into the next cell. A shifting sound of movement through the bars confirmed there was someone in there.

"I didn't know I had company down here," John replied to the disembodied announcement, oddly grateful to hear someone else's voice. At least he had company in this hellhole.

He worked to get up off the floor, which was tough with so many pins and needles and not being able to feel all of his feet yet, but he had enough experience with being stunned to know it would wear off quick enough. Getting moving always helped, and he was eager to find out who was on the other side of the bars.

Upright, he moved towards the side wall with the bars, reaching out to grip hold of the metal for some support. He also gave the bars a little tug to check how secure they were. Turned out they were very secure.

There were actually two sets of bars, one on either side of the opening between the cells. John peered through into the next cell, which was a duplicate of his, though there were more shadows in it. He couldn't immediately see anyone inside.

"There is no escape," the voice uttered and the sound had definitely come from the near left corner, just out of John's view. Lifting up onto his toes, John could just about see a boot and perhaps a knee among the deep shadows.

"Yeah, well, prisons are like that," John commented. "That's never stopped me before. How long have you been here?"

There was a slight pause. "Many years in one prison or another of theirs," the voice answered from the shadows. The voice was definitely male and sounded very weak.

"How many years?" John pushed. The voice sounded like the guy was maybe old, or perhaps seriously emaciated. "Five years? Ten? More?"

There was a heavy sigh. "It no longer matters."

John wished he didn't feel a slight drop in his heart in hearing that. This guy had clearly been here long enough to lose all hope and depression was like a very presence in the next cell.

"Where are you from?" John asked next.

"That no longer matters either," the depressed response answered.

"Okay. What did you do to end up down here then?" John tried another tactic.

"I merely allowed myself to be captured alive."

"Well, I've got a lot of people looking for me. Powerful people," John attempted to inject some positivity. "When they find me, we can both get out of here."

"No one has ever escaped," the voice replied, as cheerful as ever.

Footsteps registered in the distance and John turned away from the small bars, watching as two men appeared and headed towards the closed door to his cell.

They were different goons and still weren't in the usual Genii uniform, instead opting for the brown look.

"Kolya got his own goon squad going on, huh?" John asked as he moved into the centre of the cell, measuring the distances, watching one guard turn a big key in the door's lock.

As the door swung open, John spotted a third guard just off by the exit, a large gun in his hand.

One of the guards stepped into the cell, drawing John's attention back to him.

"Out," the guard ordered as he waved towards the open cell door with what looked very much like an Alliance stunner. John hoped it was a stunner; he couldn't quite tell from this angle.

John measured the distance to the first guard and the angles the other two guards had on him. They all had the same Alliance weapon.

The odds weren't exactly in his favour, but he didn't quite feel like being ordered around.

"I kind of like it in here," John told them. "Maybe I'll just stay in here until my wife gets here-"

The guard in the cell with him lifted the gun and fired.

John actually felt the brief flash of heat as the energy blast passed over his right shoulder and slammed into the back wall of the cell. Bits of cement scattered through the air, peppering John's back. He straightened back upright and wiped down the side of his face that had some wall dust on it.

"Or maybe we can wait outside the cell," John acquiesced and started forward. Always best to choose your battles. "Besides, I wouldn't wanna miss seeing her kicking your asses."

0000

"Everyone through?" Sam asked Chuck.

"Yes, Ma'am," Chuck reported helpfully, his worried eyes lifting to her from the Gate Room behind her. The teams from M1K had all returned and Jumper One was now rising up into the Bay over the Gate Room.

Nothing new had been found, though scans and samples of the weapons scorch-marks from the trees had already been brought through. Jumper One hadn't found any trace of John's transmitter anywhere on M1K, and there had been no alien ship in orbit that might have held him either. So, it really did look like John had been taken off-world.

Unless someone had found a way to disable his transmitter...

No, Sam was almost certain John would have been taken off-world. It made more sense considering the attackers' care in cleaning up the area around the Gate.

As the Gate shutdown behind her, Sam moved up through the Control Room towards where McKay and Zelenka were working. McKay was working on the fifty Gate addresses and Zelenka the weapons scans. Though it was obvious that had they found anything useful so far they would have reported it, Sam still went up to them to check on progress.

Moving in behind their shoulders, she looked down at their screens. "Anything new?" She asked as she looked over Radek's shoulder first. She could see lines of data and a search comparison running, but she couldn't see anything clear yet.

"We don't have enough data on residual Alliance weapons signatures to be certain," Radek began, sounding frustrated. "All I can say with absolutely certainty is that they were definitely not Wraith weapons."

"We already knew that," McKay dismissed.

"Get the data tidied up for the Elite to look at," Sam told Radek, patting him on his closest tensed shoulder before she turned to Rodney.

"How's it coming, McKay?" She asked as she peered at his computer screens, seeing the list of Gate addresses from M1K and the same list on the Ancient database.

"Any of them could be the right address," Rodney sounded as frustrated as Radek. "I don't know what I'm looking for. All these planets are in our database, but none of them standout as anything significant. Besides, they'll have gated off to another planet anyway," he repeated his earlier, and frequently repeated since, argument. "This is wasting time."

Sam understood his frustration; she felt it too.

"It's all we have," she told Rodney honestly. "These addresses might not mean anything now, but may be useful once we know more, and the Elite might be able to help."

"How are the Elite going to know where they took him?" McKay argued, but Sam moved away, not rising to one of his arguments. He was worried for his friend and, perhaps, feeling a little guilty as Lieutenant Ford had looked earlier. Sam understood that sense of guilt that could happen if one of your team didn't make it through a Gate with you.

She headed back down through the Control Room, glancing to the left where all of the IOA team had gathered. They were chattering away in their huddle, but at least Jack was with them to add some military perspective. Sam focused on moving to Sumner's side where he stood overlooking the Gate Room below.

Sumner was fully geared up, as were the four teams of Marines in the Gate Room below. The problem was that Sam had no idea where to send them to help save John. She even had the Daedalus ready and able in orbit above the City, but she had nowhere to deploy them yet.

Sumner noticed her approach and turned towards her, his right hand resting on his sidearm.

"I think it's time to tell the Elite," she told him, aware of the IOA all looking in her direction across the short distance.

"Good," Sumner nodded his agreement.

Sam nodded back, pleased that the Colonel was on the same page. Not that long ago he had been very sceptical about working with the Alliance and the Elite, but things had changed.

Sam turned towards Chuck and opened her mouth to ask him to request the Elite be brought up here, only the Ancient DHD console in front of him began to light up.

"Unscheduled off-world activation!" Chuck announced loudly and with a very worried look towards her.

Sumner began shouting orders to the Marines down below, as Sam rushed to Chuck's side, her eyes fixed on his laptops and waiting anxiously as the Gate dialled in.

It took only seconds for all the lit chevrons to lock and the wormhole to blast out, but it felt like an eternity to Sam. She dropped her eyes from the view down in to the Gate Room, trusting Sumner to handle all the security matters, while she watched as Chuck's hand hovered over the shield button. The wormhole snapped back and Chuck's hand dropped.

"Wormhole established. Shield is up," Chuck announced for everyone without prompting.

There was a loud silent pause as Sam watched the laptop screens, the room glowing from the active Gate below.

"We've receiving a signal."

0000

It was definitely a Genii bunker – everything screamed 'secret underground bunker'.

Though the leather covered dentist-looking chair he had been strapped to was new. The goons had shackled his ankles to the base of the chair first and were now securing tight leather straps around his wrists. As they worked, John took in everything he could of the large room around him.

There was only one entrance into the room, which was off to the left, and four of the brown dressed Genii were stationed around the space. He was pretty certain they were Genii despite the fact that they had peeled off their usual second skin of a uniform. They just held themselves in a way that screamed Genii, which was only confirmed by the disinterested slightly aggressive looks they sent his way.

There nothing else in the room save his chair and what looked like a weird old-fashioned camera, which was faced towards him, the multi lenses looking like something out of old black and white cinema. Though, one brown-dressed Genii sat behind the thing held a far more modern looking Alliance pad, with cables connecting it into the back of the big bulky camera. John guessed that Kolya didn't have access to the best tech while being exiled outside the Alliance.

Kolya was nowhere to be seen though, but there was one Genii who was stood off to the right, overseeing John's being attached to the dentist chair. As the guards finished strapping him in, this new guy stepped forward, standing right in front of John.

John tested the straps around his wrists for any give, but they were pretty tight.

Try as he might, the word 'hostage' kept playing in his head.

"Major Sheppard," the guy in front of John said with an evil snake-like smile.

"Where's Kolya?" John asked him, annoyed that he guy was clearly standing tall over him, trying the whole intimidation thing. Kolya did it better.

"I'm afraid the Commander has far more important business to take care of than seeing to your execution," the wannabe Kolya replied.

John worked not to show any reaction to the term 'execution'.

"Really?" John tried to appear casual. "I'd have thought your boss would want to be the one to pull the trigger."

"No one said anything about any triggers, Major," the wannabe answered. That was an unhelpfully cryptic answer clearly designed to make John worry. Like he needed any help with that right now.

"Have we met?" John asked Kolya's fill-in, working to appear as calm as he could.

"Not personally, no," the man replied. "My name is Pranos, and Commander Kolya has entrusted me with your _care_." There was another one of those nasty snake smiles.

"Great," John glanced away, taking in as many details of the guards stood close by as he could. They all had one of those Alliance guns and what looked like a baton pushed through their belts. "You must be one of his favourite exiles then," John added.

"I see you indeed live up to your reputation," Pranos replied with a slightly smug sneer.

"Look," John said seriously, "you're making a really stupid mistake here. By taking me, you're declaring war not only on Atlantis, but the Alliance, which means that the Elite, the Wraith killing specialists, who include _my wife,_ will be hunting you down as we speak."

Unfortunately, Pranos didn't appear moved by those facts and simply smiled back. That wasn't helpful.

"Fortunately for us," Pranos replied, "the Alliance and the Elite have their own significant problems to deal with _as we speak_."

John frowned worriedly. What did that mean?

Pranos nodded off to the right and one of the guards stepped into view, a strip of thick white fabric stretched between his hands. It was either going to go over John's eyes or his mouth – he didn't like either option.

"You're gonna regret this," John promised Pranos in the seconds he had before the strip of fabric was pressed tightly against his mouth. At least he would be able to see what was about to happen – he guessed that was a good thing?

"Keep telling yourself that, Major Sheppard; I am sure it will help you through what is about to happen," Pranos smiled as the gag was secured tightly around the back of John's head. As the guard stepped away, John wiggled his mouth and chin, trying to move the gag, but, again, the Genii had done an efficient job.

"Are we ready?" Pranos turned away, moving towards the Genii stood behind the big camera.

"Yes, Pranos," the stooge answered. John watched as the guy tapped on the Alliance pad and then talked into his lapel.

The room fell quiet, all eyes seemingly on the guy behind the camera.

"The Portal is active," the stooge then reported.

The Gate was active?

"Good," Pranos declared and stepped right in front of the camera, his back to John. Given the distance from the camera, John guessed that meant that Pranos was completely blocking him from view. "Begin," Pranos added.

"The signal is open," the other Genii replied.

"Atlantis," Pranos stated loudly towards the camera blocked from John's view. "Do you hear me?"

0000

"It's an analogue video signal," Radek reported what Sam could see for herself of the incoming signal displayed on the laptop in front of her.

Sam ran through a few considerations on answering it, but a voice echoed out of the console.

" _Atlantis, do you hear me?_ " A male voice asked.

"Put it on the main screen," Sam ordered Chuck.

" _Atlantis, we know you are receiving us,"_ the male voice stated out of the large screen as Sam stepped up to it, Sumner at her side.

The man who appeared on the screen wore a non-descript brown outfit and was stood against an equally non-descript background. Sam didn't recognise him, but it was clearly not Kolya. Had their theory been wrong or was this the new uniform of Kolya's exiled force?

The man held himself very tall, his hands held behind his back and his chin held high; all of which suggested military training. Whoever he was, he looked calm and in control.

"This is Atlantis," Sam replied towards the cam built into the screen.

" _Good_ ," the male responded with a thin smile. " _Am I to assume this is the voice of Colonel Carter, the Commander of Atlantis?"_

That was interesting – did that mean that they could only hear Sam and not see her in return? She glanced towards where McKay and Zelenka were watching. Rodney looked up from his tablet and shrugged slightly. She supposed that just because the city sent out a returning video signal didn't mean that the other party had the capacity to receive it on the other end.

Though that didn't change any facts right now. Sam still held herself equally as tall and calm as the man on the screen as she replied.

"Yes, this is Colonel Carter of Atlantis. Whom am I speaking too, please?" She asked the face on the screen.

" _My name is unimportant, Colonel_ ," he answered, which wasn't a great sign. " _What is important_ ," the unnamed man continued, " _is that we have Major Sheppard_."

Which meant John was still alive.

"We demand the immediate return of our man," Sumner stated sternly from Sam's side.

" _We will be happy to return Major Sheppard to you once you have met our demands,"_ the man answered calmly.

"How do we know that you have Major Sheppard?" Sam asked quickly before Sumner could demand anything further.

" _A fair question_ ," the man on the screen nodded and then stepped to the left, revealing John sat in the distance behind him. Sam moved a fraction closer to the screen, as if that would help her assess John faster.

He appeared to be chained to the chair and his mouth was covered with a white gag, but otherwise he appeared okay. He was still in his Atlantis uniform, was sitting up by himself and there were no obvious signs of injury, such as blood stains and or bandages.

"I would like to speak with him," Sam tried.

" _I do not think you have time for that_ ," the man shook his head, which didn't surprise Sam all that much. " _Not if you want to save Major Sheppard's life_."

Sam made herself pull her eyes from John and focus on the man holding John hostage. "What exactly is it that you want in return for Major Sheppard?" She asked.

The man stepped in front of John again, filling most of the camera's view once more, which was also a clear psychological move to deny them further sight of John.

" _We demand the full and immediate evacuation of Atlantis_ ," the man stated.

Sam frowned, thrown for a moment. "Excuse me?" Around the Control Room, Sam was aware of people exchanging worried shocked looks.

" _I think you heard me well enough. You and your soldiers have illegally held the Ancestral City for too long. It belongs to the people of this galaxy, and you will return it._ "

"You mean return it to _you_ and those you represent," Sam clarified.

" _We will no longer allow you to occupy territory in our galaxy and steal what was intended to be for us_ ," the man continued, his calm slipping slightly. " _You will go back to where you came from and return all the Ancestral property you have taken from the city."_

A faint nudge against Sam's left elbow heralded the sudden arrival of McKay at her side; not that she'd noticed him moving towards her. McKay pushed in close, glaring at the man on the screen, even though it was likely that the man couldn't see McKay's irate expression.

"If it wasn't for us," McKay explained to the screen, "there wouldn't be an Ancestral city for anyone here to find."

" _Colonel Carter, I suggest you keep tighter control over your staff_ ," the man on the screen stated.

"Control is right," Rodney protested, "You want this place for yourselves, don't pretend to hide behind some Ancestor religion as an excuse for y-"

"McKay," Sam cut him off, setting her hand on his closest raised arm that was pointing towards the screen. His eyes switched to her, wide and worried as they were, and she lifted her hand from his arm, asking him silently for calm. Amazingly, he lowered his arm and shut his mouth.

She turned back to the screen. "Sir, I appreciate that you may believe that the Ancestors left this city for the people of this galaxy to find, but, the truth is that this city could only be accessed from our home planet where the Ancestors retreated from the Wraith. They provided us with information and the Gate address that we needed to find our way here."

" _Those are simply lies that you use to maintain control of the Ancestral City_ ," the man waved his hand dismissively. " _I am not going to get into a debate with you on this subject, thereby providing you with the time you think you need to trace where this transmission is being broadcast from. Let me save you the hard work and inform you that you will be unable to trace this transmission; so I would not waste your, and Major Sheppard's, remaining time on useless debate. Instead, you will begin your evacuation procedures now and all of your people are to leave the Ancestral City within 3 hours_."

Sam crossed her arms, drawing her resolve together.

"That will not happen," she told him clearly.

" _Are you so ready to sacrifice the life of Major Sheppard?_ "

"We do not negotiate with terrorists," Sam stated plainly.

The man nodded, as if he had expected that response.

" _I suspected that you might respond that way initially_ ," he stated and stepped aside, once more revealing John for the camera.

Sam felt her body tensing up – this would be the point where something awful would be done to John to prove their resolve. "If you return Major Sheppard to us now, intact," Sam stated, "we will let this matter go."

The man ignored her though as he looked off out of view of the camera and nodded. The camera's view then moved, swinging to the right of John to where another man, dressed in the same brown outfit as his leader, pulled open a door and three men entered.

Sam could see instantly that of the three, the outer two were helping the one in the middle walk. He appeared weak, hunched over and seemed to have difficulty walking, though the reduced lighting and slight unfocused angle of the camera made it difficult to see who it was. Sam suspected it would be another prisoner. Perhaps they were going to torture or kill this other prisoner to make their point about what they intended to do to John-

Sam's thoughts were cut off though as the three new arrivals walked into a patch of improved lighting, and the middle weakened man could now be seen clearly.

Only, he was no man.

Sam froze as she watched the weakened Wraith be led towards John. She could see chains swinging between the creature's arms, and what looked like a large metal glove was secured over the Wraith's feeding hand that was held carefully to one side by one of the guards.

Sam also took a quick moment to assess the two new guards pulling the Wraith forward – they wore the same brown outfits and she could make out what looked like an Alliance tech weapon in their holsters. Otherwise, there were no other distinguishable markings or clues as to who these people where.

Torren had mentioned to her that there were some groups within the Alliance that objected to Atlantis being occupied by people from another galaxy. There had even been a small group protesting about it on Athos during the Conference.

Either way, it didn't matter, for the threat that was being silently revealed was horrific. Sam could only pray that it was a bluff.

"If you harm one hair on Major Sheppard's head," Sumner stated angrily from Sam's side in the seconds it took Sam to assess the situation on the other side of the camera, "that will be an act of war. We _will_ find you and you will be responsible for all that happens as a consequence."

The man on the screen ignored them though as he watched as the Wraith was led around behind John's chair to stand weakly on one side. Sam switched her gaze to John's face, seeing the front of the gag moving and his shoulders rising repeatedly with his stressed breathing.

One of the guards pulled open the front of John's shirt, revealing just enough of John's skin for the Wraith's hand to fit against his upper chest. The other guard was unlocking the large metal gauntlet from around the Wraith's feeding hand.

Sam snapped her eyes back to the man in charge of the situation, aware of the exceptionally tense atmosphere around her and Rodney's worried breathing next to her.

"Sir," she stressed sternly, "I am asking that you reconsider what you are doing." Her own voice almost sounded alien to her it was so hard and cold. "Whether you believe in our right to be in this city or not, you will have heard that we have held our own against the Wraith, and we are now allies with the Alliance. If you do this, you will be making powerful enemies and it cannot be undone."

The man finally looked into the camera again, while behind him, the Wraith seemed to wobble slightly on its feet where it loomed over the restrained John.

" _Colonel Carter, let me be clear_ ," the man replied, " _I do not care about your petty alliances or the firepower you think you have. Atlantis is to be evacuated or we will kill Major Sheppard._ "

Sam took a deep breath, knowing this was perhaps the worst decision she was ever going to have to make, and yet knew there was none other she could make.

"Atlantis will not be evacuated," Sam told him. "And if you kill Major Sheppard, you will lose all your leverage. I suggest that we talk about this in a logical and-"

" _Do it_ ," the man ordered those behind him.

"No!" Rodney exclaimed from Sam's left.

Sam opened her mouth to try to stop what was about to happen, but it was too late.

She watched the horrifying moment as the Wraith slammed its feeding hand down onto John's chest.

"No!" McKay repeated at her side, but Sam fixed her eyes on John, somehow trying to support him through what he was suffering.

John threw his head back in clear pain, his body shaking as the Wraith fed from him. The horrible sound of the animalistic growls of the Wraith was audible over the video link and Sam heard someone swearing behind her.

Only then the man in charge on the other end reappeared at the side of the screen. " _That's enough_ ," he ordered and one of the men stood behind John's chair pressed what looked like a cattle prod into the Wraith's chest. Sam saw the arcing of electricity and the Wraith roared in protest, but it pulled its hand from John's heaving chest. There was another growl from the Wraith as the guards pulled it further away from John and the metal gauntlet was snapped back around the feeding hand.

Sam fixed her eyes back on John. He was clearly still alive and seemed okay, apart from the bleeding feeding mark on his chest. He was clearly panting against the other side of his gag, and there seemed to be a tight paleness to his face. Was it just the poor video feed or did he already look a little older?

The new enemy of Atlantis stepped back in front of John, once again blocking him from Sam's view.

" _From our experiments we have learnt that it takes three hours for the body to recover enough between feedings_ ," the man stated. " _I suggest that you reconsider your hard-line approach in that time_."

The man nodded and the feed cut out, the screen in front of Sam going dark.

Her mind started working fast, going through all the options available to her as everyone around her started talking; all angry, anxious and panicked.

Sam turned towards Chuck. "Get the Elite up here, now."

00000  
TBC


	22. The Reveal

**Chapter 22 – The Reveal**

Oneakka listened to the back and forth brainstorming session in front of him. The two upmost experts on engine systems and Wraith spore-grown tech had arrived in the Incident Room only an hour ago, having been working on the Mad Moon research into the Wraith hull samples from above Atreus. The testing and results from that complete, the two experts – Silvar and Heka - had arrived here and had dominated the science corner of the Incident Room since.

Silvar had started up a group discussion with all the scientific experts present, and Oneakka had worked to keep up with the technically detailed conversation. He really needed to catch up on the latest quantum research being done on the Mad Moon.

Though he was more likely to be sat amongst the group discussing the strategic tactics for the next battle with the target Hive, he'd preferred to sit with this collection of brains. Because, what else was there to analyse right now? There was little more he could add to the tried and tested strategies used against the Wraith, but this group was where some real advancement was likely.

Except it had become clear that even these brains had run out of ideas. Without any new data from the target Hive, they had little more to go on, so the discussions had started to turn in circles. He'd pointed that out to the group, which had appeared to unnerve them. Still, best to keep the scientists active and alert.

After Oneakka had made his comment, Silvar had turned the discussion back to their best practical idea so far – they were looking at how to modify the Elite tracker devices to work in the radiation field of the target Hive. The trackers were attached to the outer hull of a target ship and would monitor and record every bit of data it could from the ship, including its relative position in relation to the closest Alliance sentry satellites. The trackers could then be removed from the ship, or programmed to detach after a set time, and be recovered by the Elite. The data would then provide information on where the target had travelled and details on the ship itself. The trackers were one of the best pieces of covert tech the Elite used against the Wraith.

The only problem with using them on the new target Hive was the radiation, which would interfere with the trackers' ability to monitor the Hive and keep clean recordings. There was also the problem of keeping the tracker on the hull given the radiation's destabilising effects on local tech. But, the experts here were coming up with some ideas on how to counter it for the trackers.

"The problem is testing," Silvar said from his casual perch on a tall stool to one side of the group. Silvar was one of the oldest in the room, but was far from elderly. He had worked for the Elite for decades, having been born on Rosenthal and been part of the development of the first Alliance own ship engine prototypes developed from the Traveller engine tech. He was now the Elite's foremost expert on alien engines, but was also one of the three science Leads of the Mad Moon.

Heka, a far younger expert, had been working for the Elite since she had graduated the top of her entire planet, which admittedly was a small planet but was part of the respected Athosian associated worlds. Her passion and single focus was the study of how the Wraith spores grew into tech. Her labs in the Mad Moon were something of creepy legend, being full of Wraith spores allowed to grow under strict control.

"I think the best method," Heka stated, "is to modify as many different versions of the trackers as we can and plant them all on the target Hive ship."

"If we can even get them to stay on the hull, given the radiation's likely destructive effects on the bonding strips," someone replied. He was a radiation expert in from Xinda, being the science governor of the planet's nuclear based power systems and occasional adviser for the Elite on radiation science.

"I suggest physical bolts be used," Heka replied. "Drill the trackers into the hull, then the integrity of the strips shouldn't be an issue."

"Drilling into the hull will take time," Aedii uttered, who was the only other Elite listening in on the science discussion. A highly respected strategist, Aedii was now a non-active Elite having been badly injured in battle several years ago. The full prosthetic leg that Aedii used was bright silver and was never hidden under any clothing. "Automatic drilling fixtures would be better," Aedii concluded.

"I suggest we use the tech the asteroid miners use for sampling and tracking," Silvar nodded.

"I'll get some ordered in now," Aedii nodded and lifted a large electronic pad and started tapping in the order. With the high alert, anything ordered by the Elite would be through the Portal within the hour.

"We just need to find a way of capturing data and ensuring its survival in the radiation field," Heka uttered, sounding slightly tired and a little despondent.

The conversation turned towards effects of radiation on tech components, which held little interest for Oneakka now. He glanced away, looking out across the busy room to find Halling. The room held just as many people as it had an hour ago, but the level of urgency had reduced. The conversations were more on details and ensuring that preparations for the next attack remained in place. Everyone was waiting for the target Hive to reappear, and, until then, there wasn't much to do except try to predict where the next attack would be and how to take down the Hive when it did.

Oneakka spotted Halling heading back towards his Lead console, the large image of the Hive turning on the large screens behind him. Oneakka headed towards him, checking the time displayed on the console as he arrived at Halling's side. It was easily time for midday meal and Oneakka suspected that Halling hadn't eaten much today.

"Anything new?" Halling asked as he looked round from the latest updates from across the Alliance.

"They're working out how to best keep the trackers working in the Hive's radiation," Oneakka summarised. "They're getting in some asteroid self-drilling probes to use for the tracker deployment."

"Sounds like some advancement," Halling nodded.

He looked tired, but then he had been Lead all through the night and the first half of the day. It was well past time that he handed over to another Elite as Lead.

"How about the dissonant frequency idea to destabilise the new drive?" Halling asked, his attention back down on the console.

"They're working on it, but I don't think they know enough about this new tech to make it work yet," Oneakka reported from earlier in the brainstorming session. "They've got people working on it." He looked off towards several banks of consoles in the scientist corner of the room. There were several scientists and technicians crowded around working on that particular issue. In theory, if they could find a frequency that disrupted the new tech's departure 'window' from opening, then they could prevent the Hive from disappearing again.

Oneakka turned his attention back to Halling. The dark areas under Halling's eyes were even more apparent than normal of late and his complexion was slightly pale.

Halling sighed and looked up from the console. "I know what you're going to say."

It didn't surprise Oneakka that his friend knew what the next part of this conversation was going to be; how often had they had this very discussion over the years?

"You've been Lead too long," Oneakka still said the words. "You haven't eaten-"

"I had food before the briefing with the High Council," Halling argued.

Oneakka consulted the time again. "That was over four hours ago," he pointed out.

Halling frowned down at the console. "Oh."

"There are important reasons why we all share the Lead position. You know that without proper rest and food your attention span and reflex response times diminish," Oneakka quoted the Elite rulebook, taking particular relish in the words since Halling had used them on him a number of times. "Your brain needs sustenance. Hand over Lead to Aedii or Massa, if he's still here," Oneakka glanced round the room. He hadn't seen Massa for a bit.

"He's talking deployment figures with the Military Council in the Emergency Response Station," Halling reported. "While feeding Aki."

"So Aedii, or someone else as Lead," Oneakka dismissed the detail as he settled one hand on the top of Halling's console, "we'll be in the canteen and contactable in seconds when the damned Hive decides to come out of hiding."

"We can eat in here," Halling pointed out.

Oneakka frowned at Halling's insistence. It wasn't like there weren't plenty of people in here who could respond instantly to the next appearance of the Hive, and the canteen was minutes away. In truth it was Battle Station and Deployment Station that were the initial response points to an alert anyway, so Halling's stubbornness was unnecessary. But, Oneakka still understood. He'd been Lead plenty of times and, especially when you were first to lead, you often took on a personal responsibility to see the event through, but this one had gone on too long now. If he didn't get Halling off being Lead, someone else would. Massa would likely do it, if not one of the more mature non-active Elite in the room.

"You want me to quote more of the rulebook at you?" Oneakka asked. "Because you've read it line-by-line to me loads of times and I'm happy to return the favour."

A faint smile creased Halling's face. "I haven't quoted it line-for-line."

"Liar," Oneakka countered.

"That's only because you're so stubborn and don't listen to reason," Halling pointed out finally looking up properly from his console.

"How many hours have you been Lead?" Oneakka asked logically.

Halling sighed and glanced back to the console, but Oneakka could tell that he'd won; still it didn't hurt to still push the point.

"How many hours over the rulebook limit is that?" Oneakka asked.

"Fine," Halling conceded. "I am hungry."

"Good," Oneakka slapped a hand to the back of Halling's closest shoulder. "Let's go."

"I'll go handover to Aedii," Halling replied as he tapped in several commands on the console, officially conceding over Lead position.

Oneakka headed away, leaving Halling to confer with Aedii. Moving through the Incident Room towards the exit, Oneakka exchanged nods with the Elite spread around the room, only to spot Maja stood off to the left with the communications consoles. Oneakka headed towards her.

All the screens around her were active, faces looking back from various places across the Alliance, and a technician was talking with each, sharing strategy decisions and ensuring correct deployment of ships in and around the Alliance that weren't part of the Fleet.

Maja was stood by one station, listening in to a discussion between someone on Atreus and a technician talking about the ongoing monitoring of the radiation above Atreus. Oneakka stepped up next to Maja, angling himself so that he stood behind her shoulder.

"Aren't you off rotation?" He asked her. It was Edfu's turn on rotation, since she had worked all night, but here she was, back on duty. It was like her, but it didn't hurt to make sure she wasn't overworking like Halling. As she was one of the joint Security Leads of the Facility, only Elite could ensure she and Edfu looked after themselves.

Maja looked round, her serious expression shifting to slight surprise. "I got my required sleep, Honoured Elite," she replied.

He nodded, though didn't press her on her definition of 'required'; he'd let that go. He shifted his gaze to the Atreus screen.

"Latest from Atreus?" He asked.

"The radiation levels have significantly lowered," she reported. "The defence ships that engaged the Hive the longest are showing tiny signs of damage to their outer hulls."

"Radiation," Oneakka nodded, aware of that expected result from listening into the scientists' brainstorming; Heka believed that the Hive itself would be far more susceptible to the radiation than the Alliance's metal hulls. Her theory was that was partly why the Hive had such a thick outer hull.

Maja nodded. "Anything useful from the brainy corner?" She asked.

"Other than possible ways to counteract the radiation for the trackers, no," Oneakka informed her. "No one has anything new."

"As frustrating as it is to say," Maja uttered with a lowered voice, "we need the Hive to attack again."

Oneakka nodded, spotting Halling headed towards him now. Halling's eyes slid to Maja with a light frown that held the same thoughts about her being back on duty already, but he didn't say anything as he reached them.

"Aedii is now Lead," Halling reported.

"Yes, Honoured Elite," Maja nodded. "I assume you're both getting food." It wasn't a question.

"Yes," Oneakka confirmed, a little surprised he was included in that little order.

"Good," Maja concluded and turned back to listening into the discussion with Atreus.

Oneakka headed away from her and the slightly mothering comment, but focused on finally leading Halling out of the Incident Room and into the empty hallways.

The Recruits were still under lockdown, but were allowed to visit the canteens to collect food or to workout in the gyms. Oneakka wasn't fooled by the empty hallways though, as he remembered lockdowns when he had been young and in training. The Recruits over the age of 14 cycles were allowed to be without supervision, so would be busy partying, gossiping, competing in the gyms, and flirting. The worry over what the Elite were facing against the Wraith would only add to the nervous excitement for the Recruits.

A bleep from Halling's side drew Oneakka's attention to one of the centrally connected larger computer pads that Halling had decided to bring with him. No doubt so he could stay as up-to-date as possible. Oneakka didn't comment on that, since it would be useful to know what was going on from the canteen.

"The mining probes are already through the Portal," Halling reported from the screen.

"That was fast," Oneakka remarked, impressed.

"They're sending two thirds to Deployment Station to be fitted with the trackers," Halling continued, running his eyes over the lines of text as they appeared. Oneakka pressed his right shoulder against Halling's to guide him around the right hand turn into the canteen. "Our third are being brought here for the scientists to test their best guesses on programming or shielding against the radiation on the probe and tracker combos," Halling continued, not having looked up from the pad as he followed Oneakka's physical guidance.

"Where we giving them for the work?" Oneakka asked as he steered Halling in the direction of the canteen's meal selection.

"There's a free project room," Halling reported as he finally lowered the computer screen and considered the food Oneakka had led him towards. Oneakka could already predict what Halling was going to go for. Food that was easy to pick up and take with you was best in situations like this. As Oneakka predicted, Halling reached for a handful of sweetgrain bread and then piled a large spoonful of an Athosian salted bean paste that he liked. Once they were sat down, Halling would layer the paste between the bread slices making a portable meal should the emergency alert go out again.

Oneakka considered his own choice and decided the sweetgrain slices looked good, but he selected some salad leaves and a spicy sauce that he would use to make his own bread sandwich. He added some strips of dried tabo fruit, Halling having taken some as well, and then reached for a cup.

"The non-fleet deployment is still holding well," Halling reported from his pad, which he was studying again as he placed a newly poured cup of tea on his tray. He only spilled a few drops with the distracted move.

Oneakka poured out some kita juice for himself, picked up his tray and turned to the sea of canteen tables. There were more people eating in here than he'd expected, but they were all Facility staff on their midday meal breaks off rotation. And Seeal.

She was sat at the usual table, but was focused down to the floor at her side. Oneakka moved to head towards her, only to pause.

He felt a sudden strange moment of caution to talk to her.

He frowned at that unexpected reaction.

The last time he'd seen her had been in his quarters when she'd expertly found her way to old wounds, and he'd gone and told her about his people's belief in him.

He'd not seen pity in her eyes before then, and he didn't want to see it again.

Still, he wasn't going to avoid her because of that. It was hardly the first time people had that look around him.

Determinedly, he strode across the canteen towards her. He was halfway across the large room when he remembered that Halling was here with him. Oneakka looked over his shoulder back towards the food selection, only to find that Halling had been following close behind. Well, it was a wandering distracted following, for Halling's gaze was switching between navigating between the canteen tables and something overly interesting on his pad.

A new update? Oneakka waited for Halling reach him. "Something new?" Oneakka checked.

"It's the latest analysis report on the sensor readings off the Hive," Halling explained. Oneakka glimpsed a series of graphs and text on the pad's screen. He'd probably heard most of it from the scientist brainstorming session, so he continued on towards Seeal.

The source of her interest became obvious as Oneakka approached the table. The goat was sat leant against Seeal's chair leg and Seeal was feeding it from her food tray.

He was almost certain that the goat's belly was visibly bigger than it was yesterday; how the creature could be comfortable was anyone's guess.

As he reached the table, Seeal finally looked up, clearly having already been aware of his and Halling's approach. Oneakka looked pointedly at her tray of leftovers and then down at the goat.

"It's all goat appropriate food," Seeal argued as he moved around the table to his usual seat next to her.

"Isn't it supposed to be _your_ food?" Oneakka asked as he set his tray down.

"She's eating for seven," Seeal countered as she picked up a piece of Xindan flowering leaf lettuce from her tray and leant away to feed it to the goat.

Oneakka sat down in his chair as Halling set his tray down opposite and distractedly pulled out his chair. Obviously the report was pretty detailed.

"So," Seeal looked back round from the goat, "are we still under attack?" She asked him.

Her eye contact was direct and bold as usual, with no hint of any sad pity in her deeply dark eyes. He felt a very real rush of relief that she didn't appear to be treating him any different. Women had a way of doing that sometimes once they found out more about his history. Even his fellow Elite, and even Pampata in the past, all clearly stepped carefully around the subjects of family around him. Some days he was deeply grateful for that, while others it annoyed him that they thought him so sensitive about it.

He realised that he hadn't answered her question and was just looking at her. "When aren't we under attack?" He replied quickly.

She pulled a face as she shook her head. "Only an Elite warrior would smile about that."

He'd smiled at her?

Her gaze switched across to Halling, who had finally put down his pad with its report.

"Anything new and interesting?" Oneakka checked, pleased to see Halling finally turn his attention to his food. As Oneakka had predicted, Halling started layering the bean paste between two thick slices of sweetgrain bread.

"Not really," Halling reported. "It's mostly just summarising the analysis and theories so far; nothing constructive."

Which was exactly what Oneakka had expected. He turned his attention to his own food, and followed Halling's lead in layering up sweetgrain.

"So that Hive ship is still out there?" Seeal asked, clearly fishing for information. She'd been doing that earlier when he'd let her follow him into his quarters. Clearly the woman didn't like not knowing what was going on, but then, he guessed, that made sense considering her former career as a Security Lead. Security Leads always knew everything going on, with the case in point being Maja back on duty too early.

"Yes," Oneakka confirmed that small detail that she could probably tell from the news links anyway.

"Any luck tracking it?" She pushed.

"Raven, it's not yours to worry about," Oneakka repeated his earlier reassurance before he took a big bite of his constructed sandwich. It tasted ever so good. He was hungrier than he'd realised.

"I thought we'd already agreed earlier that it _is_ something for me to worry about," she countered. "If a Hive can appear overhead at any moment, that's something to worry about."

"There's plenty of experts working on the problem," he replied as he wiped his chin. He realised that he'd forgotten to shave this morning, the faint stubble grazing against the napkin. He'd only had time enough to wash quickly with Seeal poking around in his quarters outside the washroom. He'd only let her in because he'd considered handing over the small gift he'd finally finished working on the day before. With her clearly fishing for information and not liking being left out of the current intel here, he'd considered using the gift as a bribe for sorts to distract her.

Instead she'd brought up Myrtle and started finding raw wounds, so he'd just put the gift in a back pocket of his holster to use in case of emergency. He was quickly suspecting that he was going to have to use it today.

"I'm an expert," she argued. "I would think after everything that happened on the Sythus, that I'm considered an expert on the slug robots."

Oneakka paused mid-chew, frowning at her point. Of all the things she was expert at with coding and security, he had no idea why she'd chosen the slug robots as reason to use her for the research into the Hive. Maybe she'd just assumed the Elite had encountered the weird tech again since.

Across the table, Halling frowned at her as well. "If we find any more of the robots, then I'm sure we will ask you," he replied with a tone that seemed slightly condescending to Oneakka's ear.

He wasn't entirely certain, but he'd gotten the impression that Halling didn't quite like Seeal all that much. He'd not asked, since it wasn't a problem, but this new tone kind of added to the evidence.

"There's no slug robots involved?" Seeal asked.

"No slug robots," Oneakka confirmed for her before Halling did. "We haven't seen any more since that time on the Sythus."

"Oh," Seeal replied. "Then I'll just keep my nose out of it," she concluded casually as if it didn't matter to her. Oneakka suspected otherwise.

A light bleep echoed from Halling's pad lying on the table by his elbow. All eyes went to it.

"The probes are being moved into a project room," Halling reported.

"Probes?" Seeal picked up on that quickly.

"Leave it alone," Oneakka told her.

"Fine," she agreed, holding her palms up.

Halling tapped on his pad as another small alert appeared at the top. "Massa has reported the Military Council are agreeing to contact Atlantis."

"Good," Oneakka nodded as he took another bite of his sandwich. "Maybe they've seen the Hive their side of things."

"Maybe we should recall Emmagan and Si," Halling considered, and not for the first time.

"We have more than enough boots on ground and ship," Oneakka disagreed. "They can probably do by more liaising with Atlantis while they're there."

"Mmm," Halling uttered noncommittally as he chewed on more of his food. He'd almost finished, clearly confirming that he'd not eaten enough this morning.

Oneakka reached for his kita juice and glanced round at Seeal, surprised she was keeping quiet so long.

She was picking at the last of the lettuce on her tray, but her attention across the table, furtively looking at Halling's pad's screen.

Oneakka cleared his throat loudly.

She looked round with a clearly guilty look. "I wasn't doing anything."

He was going to have to talk to her about this kind of thing. Just because she worked here, didn't mean she could have access to any information here. The Facility was full of confidential intel and she was not allowed to go spying on things.

Maybe he'd describe it as 'visual hacking' – she'd probably understand that better.

He switched his own gaze to Halling's screen, but it only showed the Hive readings report, so simply showed lines of data and a large graph. Nothing she would do any harm by seeing for now, and, besides, it was all upside down from her view.

He gave her another warning look to make his point.

"I'm just trying to be helpful," she muttered with a faint shrug.

"You're not a Security Lead anymore," he reminded her, as he had in his quarters earlier.

She gave him her own glare now – that was better. Better that she be combative again rather than looking all disappointed at being left out of the crisis. Most people would prefer to be kept out of such things.

"You keep saying that," Seeal told him, "like I don't know."

She returned her attention to the lettuce she was picking at on her tray. At the edge of the table, Oneakka could see the goat's nose snuffling into view. Seeal passed the last of the lettuce to the waiting goat. Except, as she sat back again, Oneakka saw her gaze slide back to Halling's screen.

Oneakka sighed.

This was usually the point where she decided to do something stupid, like hack into the computers to find out for herself what was going on.

He nudged her elbow with his, and she looked round slightly startled. He glared at her and then the screen and back again.

She looked away, her lips pursed together.

She only wanted to help, he could understand that, but she was going to have to learn that she couldn't be involved with everything. Just because they were sitting with her, didn't mean that she was now privy to all Elite information.

Maja would probably shout at him to know that Seeal even had access to seeing an Elite's computer pad. Halling clearly didn't realise how subtle and persistent Seeal could be. Maybe he should mention that to Halling later. Only he didn't really want to give Halling more reasons not to like her.

Not that it mattered if Halling approved of her.

Oneakka frowned down at his food, annoyed with his own turning thoughts.

Another beep from Halling's screen drew Oneakka's attention.

"Just the latest standard update from the Fleet," Halling reported.

Oneakka glanced at Seeal to see if she was looking at the screen, but she was looking away across the canteen, very obviously showing that she wasn't spying.

He watched her stroking the top of the goat's head, the two backward-curved goat horns just visible above the line of the table.

Maybe it was best to use the distraction/gift now.

He wiped his hands on his napkin and reached round into the small pocket towards the back of his holster. A quick dig into the pocket and his fingertips found the small data drive.

He set his elbow on the table between him and Seeal and held up the little drive.

Seeal looked round, her eyes immediately landing on the drive. All annoyed disappointment was instantly replaced by curiosity.

"What's that?" She asked.

"A data drive," he supplied unhelpfully.

She rolled her eyes and frowned at him – a much better reaction. "What's on it?" She asked.

"Something," he replied, aware he was pushing her towards their more usual banter.

She didn't disappoint. She looked away with feigned disinterest. "Is that all?" She played along.

"If you don't want it-" he baited.

Her head swung back round. "It's for me?"

He nodded.

Her eyes narrowed. "If it's the latest update of the rules and regulations again, I'm going to kick you in your shins."

He chuckled at the threat. "It's not," he promised as he waggled the drive towards her, tempting her to take it.

Her eyes returned to the drive. She was really interested now.

She reached for it, giving him a suspicious look as she did.

As she set her fingers around the drive, he tightened his hold slightly. She gave him a glare as she had to pull the small piece of tech from his grasp.

"What's on it then?" she asked as she turned the drive over in her fingers, though there was clearly nothing to see from the outside.

"Music," he told her finally.

Her face lit up at that. "Really?" She asked with a smile, clearly appreciating the addition to her obsessive music collection.

"From Earth," he supplied the really important detail.

"Sheppard's planet?" She asked, clearly surprised.

He nodded.

She smiled down at the drive. "Music from another galaxy," she said wistfully.

"I got it from Sheppard at the Athosian Conference before my last mission," Oneakka told her, "but I needed to transfer the data onto one of our drives that you can't use to hack into anything," he explained pointedly.

"So you think," she uttered just loud enough for him to hear, but she was still smiling, clearly pleased with the gift. "Have you listened to any of it?" She asked him.

He shook his head. "Just the first second or so of one or two just to make sure they had transferred properly. Sheppard says Earth has more music than even you could listen to in a lifetime."

"Really?" she said, her eyes wide at the prospect. "I wonder what he picked for me."

"I told him to pick music that's like you," Oneakka replied as he picked up his last sandwich. "Loud, noisy, and difficult to ignore." He lied. He'd actually asked Sheppard to pick some of the most well known music on his world and that she could dance to.

Seeal gave him a long glare for that.

Pleased with that reaction, Oneakka looked away, only to find Halling frowning at him.

"What? Something else happened?" Oneakka checked, glancing back to the pad at Halling's elbow.

Halling looked down at his pad and shook his head. "No," he supplied and then looked away to pick up his still steaming tea.

Oneakka assessed Halling's tray – he'd eaten everything but one strip of dried fruit. Good.

"Maybe we should take some snacks back to the Incident Room with us," Oneakka suggested.

Halling nodded over his tea as he sipped at it.

"Just to be _absolutely_ certain," Seeal put in, drawing their attention to her, "there's no slug robots involved with this whole vanishing Hive problem?"

Clearly the distraction of his gift hadn't worked for very long.

Oneakka frowned at her continuing on this subject. Why was she so fixated on the slug robots of all things? It was hardly her favourite subject considering one tried to kill her and that she'd almost sacrificed her life to take it out.

"There's _no_ slug robots involved," Halling was the one to answer her, irritation edging his voice. He was tired.

"Okay," Seeal replied slightly defensively.

Except her eyes dropped back to Halling's screen, a deep frown forming across her face.

"Maybe we should head back to the Incident Room," Halling suggested across the table.

Oneakka kept his eyes on Seeal though; he realised that he'd seen that look on her face before. It was the confused look she had when she thought she knew something other people didn't.

"Why are you asking about the slug robots?" Oneakka asked her.

She looked round at him. "Because of the frequency readings," she replied as she pointed towards Halling's pad.

Oneakka snapped his attention to the pad, which Halling picked up.

"This is the scan of the Hive's output, not the slug robots," Halling explained the graph and lines of data showing on the screen. "There's no correlation with the robots."

Seeal didn't look convinced though.

"We've already run comparisons to all other recorded tech," Oneakka informed her. "We didn't find anything."

She blinked at him, but the confused frown remained.

"Why would you think there was a correlation?" Halling asked as he looked at the report again himself.

"On the graph there's a similar pattern," Seeal explained to him.

Oneakka frowned at that. She'd recognised a pattern on a graph she'd been reading upside down?

Halling tapped away on his pad, probably drawing up the correlation tests on all the tech that were initially run against the target Hive's more unusual readings.

"We already checked on comparisons," Oneakka explained again. "The computers can run everything in minutes."

"Computers only look for what they've been told to look for," Seeal argued.

He frowned at that.

"Here," Halling turned his pad, showing two sets of graphs. "This is the Hive and this is the slug robot. It's a tiny percentage correlation result, negligible."

"We already thought of this considering the Seed Ship the robots came from had a similar flight pattern to jump from one point to another," Oneakka explained further to her, and making sure Halling understood why she might think along the slug robot lines. "But that tech didn't display the same things as we are seeing from this Hive." For one thing there had been no gaping jump windows as they'd seen with the new target Hive, and there had been no hint of the same radiation.

"Fair enough," Seeal replied, "and I'm no expert on Wraith tech, but whatever new tech they're using it has a similar flavour to what the robots used to communicate with each other and to hack into the Sythus computers."

Oneakka lowered his sandwich. "Flavour?"

"Tech puts out tons of different energies and signatures," she explained what they already knew well enough, "that's how we can hide hacks and secret communications, like Karthig did." She had added that to make the point that the Elite had missed Karthig's hidden messages, and therefore that their analysis wasn't always perfect. She had been the one to spot what Karthig had been hiding.

Oneakka sat up a little straighter. Had she actually found something on the graph?

"If by flavour you mean a pattern," Halling put in, "then yes, we know that and that's what the computer looks for."

"Except they compare overall for a percentage match, whereas it's just this little frequency cluster here," she reached out and tapped her index fingernail against the pad's screen. "See, here and here, the signatures have a strange similar little pattern in the deep ultra range, and here," she tapped further along the graph, "this little blip here."

Oneakka leant forward to see the detail on the screen, Halling doing the same over the pad.

"It's one tiny reading among many," Halling commented, but he was sounding more interested now.

"Yes, but it's the same on both," she ran her finger from one to the other. "Have you got the Seed Ship's scans from the Sythus?"

Halling turned the pad and tapped away, calling up the readings from the Facility's database.

"Why do those tiny readings, among all the other readings, stand out as distinctive to you?" Oneakka asked her.

She shrugged. "I notice flavours."

"You know that flavours usually come from food," Oneakka pointed out, but his mind was turning on the idea. If there really was a link with the Seed Ship, then it put a slightly different spin on things. The recovered pieces of the Seed Ship and the slug robots had been found to be very old tech, though unseen before from the Wraith. Maybe the new Hive wasn't using a new prototype, but instead a piece of old tech that had never been properly adopted by the Wraith; maybe because of the damaging radiation...

Halling turned the pad. "There's the same blips," he had already noticed.

Seeal tapped her finger against the new third graph on the screen. "See," she ran her finger over the same little bars on the screen. "I know they don't look the same overall, but all three have this small heavy weighting down this deep ultra end again, and that lone blip here. The robots' signals on the Sythus combined to attack the Sythus computer together, and I remember thinking it's possible this blip shows some method of cutting through subspace somehow, not that other subspace readings we usually see show here."

Oneakka snapped his gaze to Halling. "We need to take this to the brainy corner," he said, using Maja's phrase.

Halling nodded and stood up quickly and turned to lead the way out. Oneakka grabbed up his strips of dried tabo fruit as he moved around the table to follow.

"Did I help?" Seeal asked, sounding eager.

"Maybe," Oneakka confirmed to her and hurried after Halling.

"I can help more," Seeal called after him, but he had caught up with Halling.

"I'm sending the graphs through to them now," Halling reported so that the information would reach the Incident Room ahead of them.

"Maybe this new tech is actually old tech then," Oneakka shared his theory.

Halling nodded. "Old tech the Wraith have started using again."

"Or found," Oneakka suggested.

Whether it panned out to be something useful wasn't certain yet, but it was, at least, something new to look at rather than just sitting around waiting for the next attack.

00000

Teyla smiled as she watched the brightly coloured bird wander along the tabletop in front of her. Sparrow knew Teyla had seeds in her hand and the small creature's greed was slowly winning over its caution.

Teyla picked out one of the larger seeds from her hand and held it out for the bird.

Sparrow turned his head, examining the offering with one eye, and then turned his head to check the seed with his other eye.

Teyla waited with patience that was easy for her, honed from years, decades, of being a warrior. Many believed a life spent in warfare was continuously eventful, but the truth was that much of her life was spent travelling, or waiting for, a battle. Most of her life was spent being patient, and then a smaller part was spent in frenzied action.

So, she had all the time for the small animal to approach her.

Sparrow, seeming to sense that she was prepared to remain still, began to move forward. To walk, the bird had to lift one large clawed foot up at a time, taking careful measured small steps, the claws clipping against the tabletop.

Teyla held still and waited as Sparrow approached from a sideways angle across the table. Reaching close enough for its liking, the bird stretched its body towards Teyla's fingers and the offered seed. Sparrow paused a couple of times, eyeing her closely with his small active round eyes. Teyla held still.

Sparrow finally made contact with the very tip of his beak and the seed was swiftly removed from Teyla's fingertips. Seeming very pleased with himself, Sparrow backed up a few steps before stopping and taking the seed in one of his feet. Teyla smiled as she watched Sparrow snack on the seed.

Today had been a series of successes; this morning had gone well with John, and Dr Petri had been a very gracious host. Teyla turned on her stool by Dr Petri's lab table, and watched as Ketra performed the latest in a series of experimental tests for the scientist. Ketra seemed quite taken with the somewhat eccentric, but friendly, woman.

Currently, Dr Petri had hidden flower treats under different coloured pots and was showing Ketra pictures of the corresponding colours. When Ketra saw the colour, she went to push over the corresponding coloured pot and quickly devoured the treat underneath it.

Teyla hadn't realised that Ketra could identify colours so well. Clearly the food motivation was working and Ketra seemed very willing to go through all Dr Petri' little experiments. It surprised Teyla somewhat, since Ketra was often very cautious with strangers. Maybe it was solely all the free food, or perhaps Ketra could pick up how fascinating Dr Petri found her. Dr Petri appearing to have an unending about of enthusiasm and spoke to Ketra cheerfully and clearly, and Ketra gave her full attention in return.

It was clear to Teyla that the Doctor was very respectful and seemed very caring and devoted towards animal care as well as study, and Teyla felt quite relaxed in allowing the Doctor free-rein in all these tests. However, it was becoming slightly boring for Teyla. It had been many hours since John had left for his mission. She glanced up towards the Earth style timepiece hung on the wall of Dr Petri' lab. Hopefully John would be returning soon, if he had not already returned and was undergoing his mission debrief. She glanced towards the door out of the lab, as if that would be bring him back any sooner.

She needed something to focus on besides counting the minutes that passed. Perhaps she could leave Ketra with Dr Petri and go visit Si' training sessions in Atlantis' gym. She could at least then stretch her legs and perhaps study more about Earth fighting skills.

Sparrow appeared in Teyla's peripheral vision, the bird's attention locked on her palm full of seeds. Smiling, Teyla offered another treat to the bird. This time he moved in far faster to collect the seed.

Movement in the far doorway made her look round quickly, eager for it to be John, but instead it was one of the guards from outside the doorway. She did not know the man, and had shared little more than a hello this morning, but she could tell that something was wrong.

Dropping the pile of seeds on the table for Sparrow, Teyla stood away from her stool and headed towards the approaching man.

"Ma'am, could you please come with me?" He requested politely.

"What has happened?" Teyla asked.

"Colonel Carter has requested that we take you up to the Control Room immediately," he replied simply.

Teyla did not bother to ask for further details; there would be little point, for this man would not tell her.

Moving back to her stool, Teyla looked to where Dr Petri was now watching, looking a little worried.

"Dr Petri, I have been called to the Control Room urgently," Teyla informed her.

"Would you like me to keep Ketra here with me?" The woman offered.

"Yes, please," Teyla smiled, grateful. "I should not be too long."

"She will be fine here," the Doctor answered.

"Thank you," Teyla smiled at her and then looked across the room to where Ketra was knocking over all the remaining pots in case there were more snacks waiting. "Ketra?" Teyla called and Ketra looked round. "Stay here with Dr Petri," Teyla instructed her, gesturing towards the Doctor.

Ketra in good care, Teyla turned and headed out of the room, following the fast paced steps of the Earth soldier. Once outside the lab, the other guard quickly fell into step with them as they strode down the corridor.

Teyla's mind worked hurriedly. Had something happened back home and Father or the Elite had dialled in? Was Atlantis under attack in some way?

Or had something happened during John's mission?

The trip up to the Control Room was fast paced, and Teyla tried to memorise the route in case she needed to make her way back to retrieve Ketra alone. Perhaps she should have brought Ketra with her. If something were to happen to Atlantis, she would need to find Ketra.

The corridor that led into Atlantis' Portal Room was busy and it was immediately apparent to her that there was a high feeling of alert in the air. There were also far more armed Earth warriors than normal in the large room as she entered to the view of the Portal standing silent.

Knowing the way from here, she strode ahead from her escorts, moving around to look up the large sweeping staircase up to the Control Room. Si was stood at the top clearly waiting for her. She jogged up the steps, assessing his expression quickly. Something was very wrong.

"What has happened?" She called up to him.

"Someone has taken Sheppard," Si reported, his face grim.

Alarm almost made her steps falter as she hurried up to meet him. "Who?" She demanded. Someone had captured her John?

"Unclear," Si reported as he turned and led her towards the short steps up to the Control Room, where Colonel Carter stood waiting for her. The room behind the city's Lead was full of personnel, again far more than was normal from what Teyla had seen before.

"They are holding him hostage," Si added.

"In return for what?" Teyla asked hurriedly. At least that news meant that John was alive. For now.

"They have demanded that we evacuate Atlantis and turn it over to them," Colonel Carter supplied as they reached her.

Teyla looked to Si next to her as they followed the female Lead into the Control Room. Teyla spotted Dr McKay and Lieutenant Ford stood at an Ancestral console near the back of the room, both looking well but clearly worried. The entire room appeared to be watching her and Si with worried anxiety.

"Major Sheppard and his team were attacked on their way back to the Gate following a routine mission with known local peoples on a planet we call M1K 177," Colonel Carter began her report as she led them towards a large Ancestral screen.

Teyla focused on the screen's display of a planet glowing among a larger map of a section of the galaxy. "I do not recognise it," she reported.

"Neither did I," Si agreed. "Whoever they were, they shot at Sheppard's team with Alliance weaponry."

Teyla looked round at him, eyes wide. Someone from the Alliance had taken John? Leverage to rescind the contract? No, that was not possible. Besides, the demands had not been directed to her, but to Atlantis.

A short man with ruffled hair and glasses stepped forward. She had seen him before around the city but could not recall his name. He set an Earth computer in front of her. "These are the readings we captured of the weapons damage they left behind. Scan details and visual images," his accent was heavy, but Teyla understood him. She leant in to examine the screen. The man indicated which button she needed to use to move through the details and pictures.

"These look Litan to me and this one is probably Satedan," Si put in, pointing to images and Teyla nodded her agreement.

"If they are demanding Atlantis, then they could be from one of the Ancestral worshipper groups," Teyla considered. "They would have access to all these weapons."

"This damage looks more likely to be one of the Travellers' heavy energy weapons," Si added on the next image. "While these-"

"Are Genii," Teyla identified it quickly from the highly burn edges of the scorch-mark that was often distinctive of their weapons. He stood up from the computer.

"I think there's enough variation to suggest there were at least three Genii weapons used," Si added, tapping his way quickly through the rest of the images.

If there were slightly more Genii weapons, then perhaps... Teyla turned to Colonel Carter. "Was it Kolya?" She asked.

"He didn't appear and none of them were dressed in the usual Genii uniform that we've seen even outside your space," the Colonel replied.

"But he's our prime suspect," Colonel Sumner added as he stepped forward. "The first attack by Kolya on this city was to take it for himself; seems he still wants it."

"Do you have a recording of the communication?" Teyla asked. "We can run their faces against our databases. If they are Genii, we will be able to identify them."

Colonel Carter nodded. "I was hoping you were going to say that. They also made a comment about us being able to track where they were dialling from. Are the Elite able to identify the source of a wormhole? The only way we can do that is by sending through a probe and orientating its position in known space."

"We have methods of identifying background static and frequencies on incoming radio and visual communications that can assist in identifying the area of the galaxy the outgoing Portal is located," Teyla replied. Colonel Carter looked impressed.

"They only have playback," Si reported.

Teyla turned to him. "We might still be able to detect what is in the background if their recording captured enough range of frequencies, otherwise we will need to wait until they dial in here again." She turned back to Colonel Carter. "Have they said when they will contact you again?"

There was a heavy pause and Colonel Carter glanced aside to Si and back. There was something they hadn't told her.

"What is it?" Teyla asked directly.

"They are not threatening Major Sheppard with any standard weapons," the Colonel reported, her expression darkening. "Instead, they used..." she paused with a worried frown.

Teyla swore her heard stopped in her chest for a moment.

"They used a Wraith," the Colonel continued. "It fed on him for a few seconds."

Teyla's heart restarted, but it was with a slamming hard rhythm.

John!

She had never heard of a Wraith being used that way. No one outside of the Elite had been able to hold a Wraith, at least not for long before the things usually escaped or had to be killed.

"He's okay," Colonel Carter continued, "but clearly the Wraith took some of his life."

Teyla felt the rage pouring up through her middle, sending fiery anger up into her head and she clenched her teeth tightly in an effort to hold it in.

Someone had fed John to a Wraith!

"They have given us," Colonel Carter glanced at her wrist timepiece, "two hours and forty eight minutes until they say he will be strong enough for them to use the Wraith on him again. They've given us that long to evacuate the city."

Teyla forced herself to think, to breathe and focus.

"Obviously, we cannot hand over Atlantis," the Colonel added carefully.

Teyla turned to Si stood close to her side. "Dial into the Facility and get us backup," she stated and he nodded, his dark eyes worried and studying her intently.

She turned back to Colonel Carter. "Show me the recording."

0000

This time the hard concrete floor felt real good. John pressed one cheek to the cool supporting surface and worked on breathing.

In and out.

The pain had pretty much passed, but there was a deep hard ache in his chest that made him want to panic if he focused on it too much.

Like there was a hole in him – not just the stinging pain from the feeding mark, but as if that thing had reached in and scooped out part of his chest.

How much of his life had it taken? Maybe he looked like an old man already.

He opened his eyes and drew one arm up across the floor into view and examined his hand. It looked normal, though it felt slightly achy, like he'd had had a big workout in the gym.

He reached with the normal hand to his, hopefully still normal, face. He couldn't feel any big heavy old skin wrinkles or anything, but his skin did feel somehow different.

Crap.

How much of his life had he lost?

Okay, the panic was rising again.

He dropped his palm to the cold floor and pushed himself up onto his side. That deep aching hurt flared again and he groaned out loud. He needed to sit up, but his spine didn't feel like cooperating. The wall was pretty close, so he dragged himself the few feet to it and managed to slump up against it.

That felt better.

The ache in his chest had lessened a bit too. Hopefully that was a good sign.

If he was going to get out of this shithole, he was going to need to at least be able to stand up by himself.

A shift of noise from the next cell drew his attention – at least he still had some company.

"You are in pain," the weak voice drifted in through the open bars above John's head.

"Yeah, well, I just got fed on by a Wraith," John shared. He wished he could pretend that nightmares coming to life weren't so bizarre, but life here in Pegasus always seemed to have more to throw at you.

A thought occurred to John.

"They done the same to you?" He asked of his depressed fellow prisoner.

"No," the voice replied. John thought the guy sounded a little stronger than last time; or maybe he was just closer to the bars. "They called you Sheppard," the man added.

"Yeah, that's my name," John huffed out as he shifted on the floor, stretching out one leg to get a bit more feeling back into it. The aching sensation was definitely wearing off, but he still felt odd.

"I didn't think anything could hurt that much," he muttered as he flexed his hands.

He paused and refocused on the backs of his hands. They did look different, just a bit; the natural creases around his knuckles look deeper and his skin looked faintly lighter. Or was that just the bad lighting in here?

"You are still alive," the man next door reported, which was the most positive thing John had heard him say yet.

"Yeah," John had to agree. "I don't know how many years that darn thing took off my life, but it was ready to take all of it. If it hadn't been for Kolya's guys..." John decided not to finish that thought. Where the damn hell was Kolya anyway? If he didn't show his face soon, John was going to start taking it personally.

"Kolya is their leader, yes?" the other guy asked.

"Yeah," John muttered. "Though these guys aren't wearing their usual uniforms."

"They recently changed their clothing."

"Really?" John considered that and the answer was obvious. "They don't want Atlantis to know they're Genii." And they had gagged him to stop him spilling the beans too.

Pushing his back away from the wall, John ran his hands down the back of his neck and found that slightly slack feeling to his skin appeared to be everywhere.

"They're trying to take Atlantis again," he pondered out loud. "Seems a real stupid way of doing it though."

It didn't make sense. Kolya had to know that Colonel Carter wouldn't just pull everyone out of the city.

"Something else has to be going on here," he muttered. Did his voice sound slightly rougher or was that just the sound in here? Maybe it was from all the screaming he'd done into the gag.

"You are from Atlantis?"

"Uh, yeah," John confirmed for him. "And look," he pushed up off the floor, groaning out loud like an old man, and stood up, "like I said before, I've got people looking for me." John turned and leant against the wall and looked through the double lines of bars into the other cell. It was still dark in there, but this time John could make out the shape of the other prisoner. He was a tall guy and was standing in the shadows off to the side of his cell.

"When they get here, you can come with us," John offered to him again. "Or, if we work together, maybe we can get a head-start on getting out of here."

The dark shape of the prisoner shifted, the guy's head tilting to one side slightly. Some of the low overhead light shone slightly around the guy's head, showing that some of the outline was a large mane of long hair. How long had he been down here?

"I doubt that you'd want my help," the man answered.

There was something odd about his tone, almost like he found the idea funny. That could happen with long term prisoners – they started to think escape was impossible for them.

"Look, you want out of here, don't you?" John pushed. He needed this guy on his side, not all depressed and negative. "You want to get back up on ground?"

There was a heavy sigh from the shadows in the next cell. "I struggle to remember what the stars look like anymore."

"The only chance of you seeing them again, is if we work together to get out of here," John leant closer to the bars on his side of the 'window' between the cells. "You've been here a long time, so you know the layout of this place, don't you?"

There was a long pause.

"They have weapons," the man replied.

"So we take out a couple of them and then we'll have weapons too," John pointed out the obvious.

The dark shape shifted, moving closer. Finally.

"Are you so certain, Sheppard, that you could fight your way out after the feeding?"

There had been something eerie about the way the guy had said John's name. In fact, now John thought about it...

"When did you hear them call me Sheppard?" He asked, suspicions occurring. Had Kolya planted someone in the next cell to get information out of him?

The stranger was still moving closer, but slowly.

"They have mentioned your name many times, when they didn't think I could hear them," the approaching shape answered. He definitely sounded stronger than last time. "They have been planning your capture for some time."

"Good to know you're wanted," John muttered, but not overly surprised; Kolya had been out to get him for awhile now.

"But," the other guy added, almost out of the shadows. John angled his head to peer further through the bars. "I also heard them call you Sheppard," the man finally moved into the light of his cell, "just before I began to feed."

00000  
TBC


	23. The Suspicions

**Note:** Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone. I thought I'd get at least one more chapter in before the end of 2018 (enjoying a very quiet and relaxing Boxing Day to get this one done). I might even try to publish another chapter before 2019, depending on work; I've got to work up to New Year's Day :(, so will see if I have time.

00000

 **Chapter 23 – The Suspicions**

John had never felt so angry.

It was a raging, pure hatred as he paced back and forth, his eyes on the Wraith watching him, predator-like, from behind the two sets of bars.

"Your anger will only weaken you," the Wraith stated.

"I don't think so," John countered as he turned and paced back the other way. His former aches and pains were forgotten under the burning anger and adrenaline that was pumping through his body.

"You realise that they are torturing us both," the Wraith said next, his voice a sort of sing-songy taunt.

"Oh yeah, what'd he do to you?" John demanded at that preposterous idea.

"He stopped me," the Wraith barked back.

"And how is _that_ torture?" John snapped back in return.

"Have you ever known starvation, Sheppard?"

John turned and paced back the other way again, looking away from the nightmare looking back at him.

No wonder the thing sounded stronger – he had taken John's own life to feed himself!

"The few years I took from you are barely enough to keep me alive," the Wraith reported as if that should be any kind of concern to John.

All that pain and all the Wraith had taken was just a few years?!

"That strength I gained from you is already fading," the thing added.

"I really don't give a damn about that," John spat back; except he kind of did. The thing had taken years from him and it apparently wasn't enough; it was already fading?! John was damn sure he wasn't going to let it take anymore.

He turned and paced back across the length of the cell, the movement helpful.

He wanted to hit something.

He wanted to thrust his hand through those bars and-

"You pace in your cell, cursing that I took years from you," the Wraith went on angrily, "while I stand here and curse that I wasn't allowed to take them _all_ from you!"

John stopped and turned to face the Wraith. Damn Kolya putting him in with this thing.

Kolya's words about being sorry for the way John was going to die all made so much more sense now. And not only did Kolya intend to have this thing feed on him until there was nothing left, with Atlantis watching, but he had to sit through the Wraith's complaints about not getting to kill him all in one go!

"We each, in our own way, suffer," the Wraith continued. Why did it keep damn talking? "They are torturing us both."

John rushed at the bars, finally giving into the raging aggression that wanted out. He slammed his hands against the adjoining bars, the reverberation of the impact through his hands deeply satisfying.

"I don't give a damn. Just shut the hell up!" John shouted at the monster.

The Wraith roared back and its feeding hand slammed between two bars.

John pulled his head and upper body back from the bars, his eyes instinctively snapping to the reaching feeding hand that was intended to kill him. He knew what being fed on felt like now, had felt the pain and empty panic of it.

Except, the feeding hand couldn't get through the bars at him, not with that big thick metal gauntlet around the Wraith's hand.

Panting, John still kept his eyes on the gauntleted hand though, watching the green, clawed fingers flexing as if the Wraith was still trying to reach just that little bit further to get at him.

John's heart hammered loud in his chest, vibrating against the inside of the sharp sting of the feeding mark.

The Wraith hissed in clear frustration as it lowered its covered, and temporarily useless, hand. John kept his eyes on the hand until just the green fingers could be seen, wrapping around the rusty bars on the other side.

"These are your last hours, Sheppard," the Wraith said with a deep weirdly purring evil tone. "If you wish to spend them in silence, then so be it."

"No," John said back forcefully, "I'm getting out of here," he told the monster as he turned away, finally giving into every instinct in his body that had been telling him to move well away from the Wraith.

"I've got a life back home," he added, "and I'm damned well going to get back to it." It felt like a powerful promise to shout at a Wraith.

He had to get out of here. Because, clearly he was going to have to do it on his own now.

He reached the far wall across from the watching Wraith, and leant a hand on the cold stone. The adrenaline was wearing off now, leaving his body feeling almost weaker than before.

The important thing was not to panic. And maybe it was best that he sit down for a bit.

He lowered himself slowly towards the floor, aware of how much he needed to use the wall for support.

He _would_ get out of here.

Except, if the Genii had managed to keep a Wraith down here for who knew how long, how hard was it going to be for John to fight his way out of here?

No, Atlantis would find him.

And Teyla was in Atlantis, so that immediately put up the odds of them finding him; didn't it? With Teyla and Si there it meant that Colonel Carter and Rodney had Elite and Alliance resources to help them. So, they'd find him. They could even be up on ground level right now, fighting their way down here to save him.

His backside met the cold floor and he pressed his back against the wall, wishing he didn't feel the shiver of fear turning his stomach.

He was going to survive this.

Except, Kolya had managed to evade the Alliance for all these years. For all his faults, for which John had many listed, Kolya was a good strategist, and that fact was really starting to worry John.

Kolya had to know that the Elite would help rescue him, so did that mean that Kolya had planned for that somehow? Of course he would. If they were deep outside Alliance space, how were the Elite going to get to him? What if there wasn't even a Gate on this planet? Maybe they had brought him in on some stolen ship? Hadn't Seeal said something on the Sythus about how Kolya had been smuggling Alliance tech across the border for his own ships and weapons? He'd worked through Dreamstation at one point. With Iketani...maybe Iketani had given him all sorts of tech, and intel on how to evade the Elite.

And then there'd been that thing the idiot Pranos had said; something about the Alliance and Elite having their own problems right now. What did that mean? Was the Alliance under attack? Was Teyla even still in Atlantis? Maybe she'd been recalled before Pranos had dialled into Atlantis.

She'd come back to help though, right? If she could. Maybe she was off on the some Fleet ship already fighting Wraith.

He rubbed cold fingers against his forehead, and forced himself breathe. The first mistake in any situation like this was to panic. Yeah, like there was any training for facing a vampire monster that had just sucked some of your life out of your chest!

He realised that the Wraith hadn't said anything for a bit, and he glanced up across the silent cell only to see that the creature was still watching him, the overhead lighting shining down across one side of the thing's greeny yellow face. The starburst like tattoo around the Wraith's left eye seemed to make the slit eye within it gleam as it stared at John.

"You're so sure you will escape this place?" The Wraith asked, annoyingly echoing John's own inner fears.

"Yes," John stated back as forcefully as he could. "My people don't leave anybody behind."

Except...people weren't always still alive when rescue arrived...

No, this was stupid defeatist crap; he would get out of here. They would find him. Teyla would get here in time.

Across the cell, the Wraith angled its head, still watching John with those penetrating eyes.

"They'll come for me," John repeated, though it was more for himself than the Wraith now.

The Wraith lifted its chin slightly, its staring really starting to get to John; like that look lions had in documentaries when they spotted some tasty looking prey in the distance.

"I hope you continue to believe that," the Wraith growled through the bars, "the next time I feed."

John looked away from it and its horrific promise. He hated the thing; hated Kolya, and his own damn panicked thoughts.

He _was_ going to get the hell out of here.

He was just tired. He needed to rest for a bit, get his strength back and then work out how to get the hell out of here.

He closed his eyes, shutting off the Wraith's stalking staring, and rested his head back against the cell wall.

He just needed some rest.

"Come on, Teyla," he whispered into the empty silence.

00000

Following the midday meal, and after returning the even larger bellied goat back to the Hydroponics Bay, Seeal had found herself in the most boring afternoon ever created.

She was the only person working in the large empty Project Room, which meant that everyone else was likely helping out with the big important and critically decisive crisis against a magically appearing Hive ship.

While she was sat in here. By herself. Carrying on as normal.

Well, she wasn't entirely alone; there was the ever-present Security representative sat up in the glass-fronted observation room overlooking the front of the Project Room. Today's guard looked as bored as she felt. He had an electronic pad balanced on one knee that he glanced at occasionally, and, each time he did, she had caught herself looking up at him worriedly. Had there been another attack? Was the Hive headed here? Except each time he had simply looked up and away from his pad without any sign of concern. A few times she'd sent him an 'anything new?' look, and he'd started shaking his head at her each time since – nothing new; nothing interesting.

He hadn't looked at his pad for awhile now either, as he had started checking over and cleaning his stunners, working on one at a time. Since that was hardly thrilling to watch for her, she'd had no resort but return her full attention to her computer screens.

Following the project's successful passing of its Elite review, she'd ended up with some new assignments within the project, so at least she had enough to work on. The lack of any colleagues had held up some of the work though, which had revealed how used to working with the rest of the project team she'd become. Even outside of working with her smaller assignment groups within the larger team, much of each day was also spent conferring with other groups. Brainstorming, debating ideas, and working out how to fix an issue had become a larger part of her working day than she had realised, and she found herself rather missing the company.

She glanced across her screens, all of them running various different aspects of her work. She had five different things she was working on today, but even that variety was getting boring considering that something far more interesting was going on elsewhere in the Facility.

She dropped her gaze to one side screen that she'd allocated to show the latest news links on one side and the Facility's Elite real-time list on the other half. Nothing new appeared to be happening out in the Alliance, at least not to the point where the public news links were aware of it. Oneakka's personal beacon still registered as present in the Facility, so he hadn't left to go fight the Hive. So, did that mean that nothing new had happened, or had the Elite and the Military already gotten the Hive? Maybe the Facility remained in shutdown until the all clear was given? Or maybe the Hive just hadn't reappeared again yet?

And she had no chance of finding out the answers to any of these questions anytime soon. Not unless Oneakka was in the canteen later and she could attempt to quiz him again on any details, only he'd been stubbornly close-lipped on any intel on the crisis; annoyingly typical Elite being all honourable and sticking to the rules.

Faint movement registered from the observation room above and she snapped her attention back up to the guard. He was yawning – oh, how thrilling.

He'd finished the mundane cleaning of his weapons and was now leaning his head back against the wall behind his chair, his arms crossing.

His eyes closed.

She frowned up at him.

There was no napping on guard duty!

Honestly, she'd have thought better of Elite security.

She glared up at him, waiting for him to open his eyes at which point she'd give him a pointed look. Except he wasn't opening his eyes.

She shook her head and returned her attention to her screens as one was revealing the final sequencing she'd programmed. Looking over the details, she considered the coding she was working on. She was designing the basics of a strong-walled security defence programme for the potential new computer system, trying to make it something that even she would have trouble hacking into.

At which point something suddenly occurred to her.

She looked back up at the guard, who still had his eyes closed; even with his eyes open, he could only see the backs of her screens. She was a well-known hacker with a slightly shady past and she was alone and unsupervised in a room full of empty workstation computers. She could get up to anything in here, and there was just one guard watching her from a distance who was half asleep?!

She felt instantly insulted.

They might think she couldn't use her computer access to try hacking into the Facility's wider computer system, but they were wrong. Or at least, she wasn't sure if they were, because she hadn't tried. She'd made a promise to Oneakka.

And, she suddenly realised, she hadn't even thought about using this empty room to her advantage until now.

She frowned at herself. When had that happened?!

She was alone in a room full of Elite Military hardware and computer systems that she could investigate and even try to reprogram without any hacking into the wider Facility computer. She could get up to anything! And she hadn't thought to even have an innocent look around the local database?!

When had she started to play by the rules so willingly?

She looked back up at the guard, who was still napping. Would the Elite really just leave her so lazily observed? She'd had a high regard of Edfu and Maja so far in their Joint Security Lead-stewardship of the Facility, but now she had to wonder. Unless...

She considered her own computer screens again. If she were in their place, she'd have put a sensor-net of sorts around her computer login. A computer programme that observed her specific access to any and all computers and that would watch for any suspicious activity. Yes, that sounded like something the Elite would think of; they might say they trusted her enough to employ her, but they wouldn't be so stupid as to leave her alone with all this computer tech. Even Oneakka had made a point of telling her each time he gave her a piece of tech, even if it was a just an electronic pad, that she wasn't to use it to hack into anything. He'd even said several times that he'd put security measures into the tech so she couldn't use it for her own means.

She'd made sure not to point out to him the flaws in that logic, but she suspected that he already knew she could probably get round his controls on the tech. So, maybe his comments were, rather than reminders that she needed to keep to her promise not to hack into anything, but were actually subtle warnings? Had he been telling her not to risk trying? If they had some sensor-net watching everything she did, then that made his constant reminders more meaningful. The work contract she had signed for this job had included a highlighted clause stating that any infraction of Elite rules would mean immediate dismissal. She remembered that clause because she'd joked with Edfu when she'd signed it that 'dismissal' in Elite language probably meant that your body would never be found.

She glanced back up at her sleeping watchman and reconsidered the pad he had been regularly checking; maybe it wasn't just showing updates from the Facility, but also showed what she was working on.

She felt insulted again.

They should trust her enough by now not to watch everything she did; she'd done absolutely nothing wrong since she'd started here at the Facility. But, then someone with her history was more than likely to relapse into bad behaviour after a time.

So...maybe her being left alone in here was actually a test?

She narrowed her eyes up at the guard. Maybe they were taking the opportunity to loosen the rein only to check that she wouldn't break it?

 _Or_ , there was the distinct possibility that she was just completely over-thinking it all.

She looked out across the dark computers around her. A year ago she would have practically started salivating at the prospect of such easy access to Elite tech. Even the smallest little thing, like a basic computer programme, could be sold for a vast amount of currency outside the Alliance. It wasn't like she couldn't take a short trip out of Alliance space via a Portal to sell that sort of thing. She already knew the right contacts to use to make such a sale. In fact, the Tile Brothers would probably have offered her almost anything for a stolen Elite programme.

In fact, regardless of any possible sensor-net, just looking at the deep coding of the programmes would be easy for her. She could easily cover what she would do; she'd just make it look like she was using the existing Elite programmes as examples to build newer versions for the new computer. She could then look through all the code and probably remember enough of it to later recreate it on an isolated pad in her quarters. With her own security programmes, she could probably hide it from any sensor scans they might run. Or at least, she could try.

Except, the startling fact for her was that she hadn't even thought about any of this until now. Well, she'd wondered intensely at how she might attempt a basic hack of the Elite computer, because that was pretty much why they had employed her. Here she was trying to design a programme for the Elite that she would struggle to hack. Her being a hacker was part of her life, but it seemed that, somewhere along the way, she'd stopped even looking for opportunities to hack anything. Truthfully, she had probably learnt even more about computer systems in the last months working here with the project team anyway; they were literally geniuses and she had no intention of risking such a good opportunity as this job provided for her.

She had intended to make a fresh start in her life and, it seemed now, that she really did mean it.

It felt slightly disorientating actually. She'd spent so much of her life doing stuff just to survive, which had included hacking to get intel to protect herself and those she had to watch over. Without that role, well, she felt kind a bit empty and useless right now.

Which felt even more so with the big empty room around her. Everyone else was getting to help out, but she was in here by herself.

She had the project work, at least. Except it didn't feel all that thrilling today with no one to talk to and just coding to run.

She looked back up at the guard, who was far too relaxed for his job description, and realised that, the hacking stuff aside, she really missed her former Security Lead role. Oneakka had told her that she had perhaps taken on that career in an effort to control scum criminals as a reaction to her childhood bullying by the Glisi and then growing up on the streets of various planets. She'd learnt to stand up for herself and others, and had turned that into a life purpose. A purpose that she felt she had kind of lost now.

Well, she might not be a Security Lead anymore, but she still wasn't going to allow such an obvious slip of security go by.

She got up from her seat and headed down the aisle between workstations, her eyes up on the guard. He hadn't moved or reacted in any way, so he clearly wasn't watching her even under lowered eyelids.

At the front of the room, she reached the little food station where there was the usual small selection of food and drink for the project team. She picked up one of the empty plastic drinks cups, stepped back and lobbed the cup up towards the overhead observation room's glass front. The cup bounced harmlessly off the tempered glass, but it achieved her aim of startling the guard inside out of his nap.

He shot up from his chair, blinking rapidly, one hand falling onto the top of one stunner.

She took another step back so he could see her better from the steep angle. His eyes had gone immediately to her now empty station and now snapped down to her.

She waited until he met her eyes and then she shook her head at him, showing her disapproval of his sleeping on the job and she pointed up at him. She mouthed 'no sleeping' clearly and slowly, which brought back plenty of memories of trying to keep her former Dreamstation and Lalwani security teams in line. How many times had she caught them napping on a long shift? As the years had passed, they had learnt that she wouldn't let that kind of thing pass. She had had a rule that it was better to ask for brief cover and go take a break than it was to try to force through and end up falling asleep and risking security measures.

This guard's eyes lowered to the floor off to her left where the cup had fallen and she could see him work out that it had been her that had woken him. She walked the short distance to retrieve the cup and looked back up at him.

He gave her a slightly sheepish look and then a nod. Good. He could have cost the Elite some computer tech by taking his eyes off her, either from above or via his pad if he had been observing her computer access.

She moved back to the food station and selected a new cup and filled it from one of the large pots that kept the liquid hot throughout the day. It was an Athosian tea that seemed very popular in the Facility, and had become her hot drink of choice when she was working.

Without looking back up at the guard, she headed back towards her workstation.

She sat back down on her tall and oddly comfortable work chair, and set her tea down on the workstation, only for her eyes to stray to the small data drive lying close by.

She had promised herself that she'd wait until after work hours to listen to the Earth music. She'd clearly not get any work done if she started listening to music from another galaxy!

Still...

She sat back in her chair and considered the small data drive.

The timing of the gift had been very obvious. Oneakka never did anything without a purpose behind it. He'd been pretty clever about what he'd chosen to use as his weapon too. Music from another galaxy was the perfect gift to distract her from the crisis around her. But, maybe, he also understood how much she hated not being able to get involved with the crisis, so maybe the gift had also been intended to appease her; which was really annoying because, regardless of his intentions, the gift had provoked all sorts of stupid little feelings in her.

She frowned at the offending, and desperately appealing, data drive.

It was a gift so well crafted to her, but did that mean that he'd gone out of his way to get the Earth music from Sheppard. Or had it been that Sheppard had been talking about music and that had given Oneakka the idea? Or maybe Oneakka had mentioned her music obsession in that conversation and Sheppard had been the one to offer her music? So maybe it didn't represent anything on Oneakka's part. Or had he thought it up alone?

Okay, she was clearly over-thinking things again, which seemed to be the theme of this afternoon.

The music was simply hers now, and it didn't matter what Oneakka's calculated motivations were, because she had music from another galaxy.

The stupid idiotic feelings could just go and jump off a cliff into freezing water for all she cared.

On impulse, she grabbed up the drive, removed its cover and slid it into the side port of the workstation screen she used for her music when working. She unclipped her portable music device from her hip pocket and connected it up to the screen as well. By the time all was in place, the music had already starting downloading automatically to her music folder on the workstation database, and she tapped it to go through to the portable player.

As it worked away, she glanced back up towards the guard, who was very awake and had selected to pace across the observation room – a far wiser choice considering his boredom.

A light lit up on the side of her portable player, confirming the download as complete. None too eagerly, she removed the player and pressed the earphones into her ears. The small screen showed the new folder of music, which showed the successful download of a long list of new music from the data drive. Sheppard hadn't just given her a few pieces of music.

She lifted a finger to trigger the first song to play, except the Project Room door at the far end of the room suddenly swung open. Seeal snapped her gaze up over the top of her computer screens to see a lone figure stood in the doorway.

Maja.

A sense of dread elbowed out Seeal's former excited anticipation of hearing the new music.

Maja was probably the main person in the Facility who would freak out if she knew Seeal was in here by herself. The woman did not like her, which was understandable considering Maja's position as Joint Security Lead of the Facility. Seeal would probably have been equally unhappy if someone of her own history and skills being allowed to roam Dreamstation by themselves.

Still, it wasn't all that comfortable being on the other end of such aggressive professional focus.

Maja gave a 'come here' motion with one hand from the doorway.

Interesting.

Seeal stood up from her chair, pausing to lock up her computer screens as per protocol. In fact, it felt especially important to make sure Maja saw that. She slid her portable player back into her pocket, tucking the earphones in with it, and headed down the room towards Maja.

Maja glanced away as she waited, looking down at a larger than normal computer pad resting in the curve of her arm – Halling had had one of those in the canteen. However here, Maja's divided attention was probably designed to make it clear that she had more important things to be doing that talk to Seeal.

As Seeal approached the doorway, Maja looked back up towards her. "You're wanted," Maja simply stated and then disappeared into the corridor outside.

"O-kay," Seeal muttered as she followed, stepping out of the Project Room to find that Maja was already a good couple of metres down the corridor. The woman looked back over her shoulder with a frown that said clearly that Seeal was moving too slowly.

Did that mean this was something urgent? Something to do with the crisis maybe? Anticipation returned, kicking out the dread. This was probably to do with her having spotted the similarity between the vanishing Hive's output and the slug robots.

Seeal quickened her steps, eager to find out now. "What's going on?" She asked as she caught up with Maja.

"You have some expertise and you will provide that expertise," Maja instructed, her tone hard and her attention fixed forward. Clearly she wasn't pleased about this. "You understand that this goes against my recommendation," Maja stated without any further preamble.

"I don't doubt that," Seeal replied back just as honestly.

Maja finally looked round at her as they marched at a super fast pace down the corridor. The woman's eyes drilled into Seeal with the skill and confidence of her post. "In this Facility, your opinions only matter as they relate to the fight against the Wraith, plain and simple. Everybody in this Facility is dedicated to that pursuit alone, not to personal gain."

"I've heard this lecture before," Seeal interrupted her, cutting off any more of the Tyoosi-style speech about honour and how she didn't have any. "And I'm not arguing with it. I'm not looking for your, or anyone's, approval."

"I don't care how you feel about things," Maja returned, her eyes on Seeal while still leading them through the Facility without any obvious glances forward. Maja knew this Facility so well that she didn't even need to look where she was going; Seeal could relate to that. "I only care about protecting this Facility and all in it."

"I get that," Seeal agreed.

"You will be going into an Incident Room, where you will be privy to restricted, highly confidential information," Maja stated. "You will _not_ be allowed to access any terminal, console, or database without myself, Edfu, or an Elite present with you. You will _not_ record, alter, or influence anything you see, touch, hear, or smell."

"What about licking something, is that allowed?" Seeal baited her, and instantly wished she hadn't. Maja was doing her job, which was a job Seeal had done herself for years and deeply respected.

"You are not to work by yourself at any time unless you have prior and specific approval to do so," Maja ignored the licking comment, which was a good move on her part. Don't lower yourself to the criminal's level.

Not that Seeal was technically a criminal anymore, but for Maja she was and would always be a potential threat. Seeal would only have thought less of the woman if she didn't think that.

"You will remain in the Incident Room only for as long as you are useful and then you will leave and will not return without a direct invitation from the Elite," Maja continued. "Once you leave the Incident Room, you will not discuss or record anything that you saw, unless specifically instructed to do so by the Elite."

Maja finally stopped outside a large closed door in an area of the Facility that, though close to the project's research sector of the Facility, was still an area Seeal hadn't been before. There were two guards stationed outside the large door, both looking far more alert than the one she had left behind in the Project Room.

"Is that all understood?" Maja demanded, clearly not going to allow Seeal to progress any further without agreement.

Seeal faced her, making direct, but not aggressive, eye contact. "Yes, fully understood."

Maja studied her.

Seeal waited.

She could feel the two guards watching, no doubt taking far too much interest in the exchange.

"I will be watching you, Seeal of Dreamstation," Maja warned, and Seeal believed every word of it.

"I would be surprised if you didn't," Seeal replied.

Maja's eyes narrowed, but she turned towards the large door, which was pulled open by one of the guards. It was a proper hinged door, not an electrically controlled sliding door as used in the rest of the Facility. That was a very telling fact to Seeal. As she followed Maja through the large doorway, she glanced at the door's hinges, noting the impressive thickness of the wall and the door. Despite their size, the large hinges moved silently.

As the door closed behind Seeal and Maja, Seeal noted the various locks and brackets on the inside. There was a large metal beam along the wall beside the door that could clearly be slid across the door and held in place by the big brackets. This door was designed to hold back an army and was clearly a fallback position within the Facility. Interestingly, that fact hadn't been included in the mandatory Facility emergency protocols that Seeal had seen and was tested on weekly. So, this was a room only the Elite used for panic situations, not for the rest of the Facility's staff. Or had it been omitted from only _her_ protocols?

Seeal turned away from the door, and the two new guards stationed inside, and suddenly the door became far less impressive.

The Incident Room was twice the size of the large Project Room, and every piece of wall space was taken up with displays, consoles, communication screens and there was at least one person in front of each. Across the floor, there were large round tables around which more people were gathered, all in deep discussion, arms moving, voices all joining up into a general chorus of constant sound filling the room. This was a war room, with charts, links, voices, and assessments going on everywhere she could see.

Which included Maja's back heading away through the room. Seeal followed quickly, while also taking in as much as she could of the fascinating room around her. As she slid past one particularly large table surrounded by a mass of people, she spied what looked like an actual holographic display moving above the table's surface. She hadn't seen that kind of tech before here. She slowed her steps, peering through the small gaps between those gathered around the display. The holographic image displayed a planetary system, the moons and planets moving around two suns. The holograms were surprisingly stable and the images very clear. She wondered if it was Ancestor tech.

Someone at the table noticed her watching and frowned at her with disapproval. He was a mature military lifer by the looks of it, clearly not Elite, but also someone who was used to people following protocols. She sent him a smile, as if nothing were wrong, and continued on in pursuit of Maja.

Maja was headed off towards the far right corner of the massive room, so Seeal followed, only her attention fell on the far wall ahead. She had never seen so many display screens working together before. The entire far wall was a display! And in the middle of the massive screen, the image of a Wraith Hive ship slowly turned.

Forgetting where she was headed, Seeal just walked slowly towards the massive screen, studying the slow turning Hive. She hadn't seen too many Hive ships before, having faced most Wraith in her life either on foot or when they were in their buzzing fighters flying overhead; however, even she could tell that this Hive didn't look right.

She slowed to a stop below the large display and frowned at the scale reading. Surely Hives weren't normally that big, were they? And this one looked more...lumpy. In fact there was a particularly large lump that appeared close to two labelled engine pods.

A new drive maybe? Was that the new tech that allowed the Hive to jump location undetected? Or some sort of cloaking field generator set near the engines due to its power requirements?

On the right of the Hive was displayed some readings she recognised – those Halling had had on his pad, some of which she had identified as the same as the slug robots and the Seed ship. There was another set of readings displayed below them though. She frowned up at them, moving faintly to the right to look up at them more closely. It looked like some sort of radiation with protons and electromagnetic components, but then some other things she had no idea about. She wasn't all that knowledgeable about particle physics, but that she hadn't seen anything like it before suggested it was something new. Maybe the cloaking field or new drive? There had been some high energy readings in those in the other display that Halling had-

"Seeal?" A voice arrived from her immediate right and she looked round to see Elite Massa stood beside her. He also had baby Aki fast asleep in the sling across his front.

She indicated the large displayed Hive. "They aren't normally that big, are they?" She checked. Maybe the Wraith were using bigger Hives now.

"No," Massa confirmed with a shake of his head, glancing at the display and back to her. Seeal noticed that one of his large dark hands had settled protectively over little Aki' sleeping head.

"Does Aki help with strategy or defence in here?" She asked, jokingly.

Massa smiled. "He's calming," he replied, which seemed a rather telling answer. He glanced off to the right front corner of the room. "They're waiting for you."

Seeal looked towards the indicated corner, which was filled with not only the usual array of consoles and freestanding small tables as elsewhere across the room, but there were clearly more personal tablets and computers here, and those sat around them looked decidedly non-military. There had to be a good twenty plus of them, and most of them were all looking in her direction, until she focused on them and they all immediately looked back to their work. Definitely not military, and judging by the more scruffy clothing and high frowning foreheads, these were the scientists in the room. She even spotted a couple from the project sat towards the back, and she was rather surprised that Ru wasn't in here.

But it was the small group stood waiting for her that drew the rest of her attention, and, among them, a far more familiar face. Oneakka turned from talking with another Elite – who appeared to have an entire robotic leg – and looked towards her, his arms crossing over his brown body armour. Beside him, two of the scientist crowd were looking at her expectantly, and Maja was now nowhere to be seen.

Seeal headed towards them, Massa having stayed back to do whatever he was in charge of in here today.

As she reached them, Oneakka stepped forward slightly and one pale hand lifted towards the male scientist waiting for her. "Seeal," he said without any further greeting, "this is Silvar and Heka," he introduced them.

"Greetings," Silvar said, and Heka echoed it a beat later. Seeal suspected that Silvar, judging by his body language and the way Heka slightly deferred to him, was the dominant one in this corner of the room.

"Hi," Seeal replied.

"We were very fascinated in your finding the link between the organic driven robotic devices and the new technology," Silvar stated with no other formalities.

He'd said 'new' technology, so they hadn't seen what the Wraith were using before now.

"And the Seed Ship," Seeal added.

"Exactly," Silvar smiled, his grin almost manic. "Very interesting link you found."

Seeal looked back towards the large display. "I'm assuming the big extra lump on their hull is something to do with their new tech?"

"Yes," Silvar replied, "that is our assertion as well. Until we have further data to confirm or discredit that assertion."

"And the weird radiation?" She asked, pointing up towards the other readings.

"Emitted by the Hive, but it increases upon the Hive's arrival and departure from its jump points," Silvar supplied, a little smile suggesting she had impressed him again. Was she trying to impress him? Maybe prove her value in this room?

A particular comment registered though. "Jump points? So it's not using a cloaking field?"

"Not that we can tell," Silvar replied. "Are you aware of any technology outside, or inside, our territory that creates anything like what you see up there?"

"None," Seeal confirmed instantly. "Outside the possible new drive pod, why is the Hive so misshapen?" She asked in return.

"We think the hull has been purposefully thickened," Oneakka was the one to answer her this time. She slid her gaze to meet his. She hadn't gotten to listen to any of the music and already here she was included in the crisis. His gift hadn't been needed after all it seemed.

"Bracing it against the forces involved in the new tech?" Seeal guessed.

"And," Heka now entered the conversation, "I supposite that the hull may be thickened to help protect it against the effects of the radiation, which we have identified as damaging to organic matter, particularly over time."

Seeal frowned at that. "But all Wraith tech is organic, isn't it?" She looked back to Oneakka.

He nodded.

"Why would they use something that'll damage their own ship?" She asked.

"Wraith tech heals," Oneakka suggested with a slightly shrug.

"It is likely that they only activate their new tech when they attack, so as not to damage their own systems," Heka suggested.

"And it may be that this new technology is still in the developing and testing phase," Silvar suggested.

That made a little more sense. "Which is why they didn't attack for every long."

"That is our current hypothesis," Silvar supplied.

"They're experimenting," Seeal frowned at that worrying idea. Wraith developing new tech wasn't a nice thing to think about.

"Another theory is that it's very old tech and they're trying to tie it into the Hive's systems," Oneakka added.

"Old tech, like the Elite think happened with that Seed Ship and the slug robots," she recalled.

Oneakka nodded. She could tell that he preferred this theory to the brand new tech idea.

"Neither of those gave off dangerous radiation," she considered. "Are we sure they're the same kind of tech?"

"You're the one who found the link," Silvar smiled at her. "Which is why we have invited you to assist us. We are working at finding a way to disable the new technology." He held forward one of those larger pads which showed various different sets of data. As some of it moved, Seeal realised this was a real-time observation of the work being done around her by the scientists.

They were analysing the new tech's readings in far greater detail, pulling sections of it apart. One part had been identified as purely the usual engine systems, another as parts of weapons discharges. The Elite no doubt had all the usual readings of Hives to work from, so the scientists were trying to isolate specific unknown areas and looking at how to maybe destabilise them with counter frequencies. It was highly technical stuff and not really her area of expertise.

"You were able to counter the hacking abilities of the organic driven robotic devices," Silvar continued.

"Slug robots," Seeal replaced his longwinded description, but she was mostly focused on the lines of data now. "Some of this seems broken up," she noticed.

"The scans you see here and above are actually composites of many filtered and reconstructed sensor readings. The radiation interferes with all types of tech, though we have found some radio and link frequencies that hold up against it, for the most part," Silvar supplied. Seeal was a little shocked at that. The amount of hours and intense work it must have taken to work out the filtering system and patch all these readings together into an understandable and logical whole...

She frowned at the mass of information. "I'm no expert on Wraith tech," she had to admit.

"We have plenty who are," Silvar replied. "But you clearly have a gift for recognising patterns within a mass of data, and you are one of very few who have had direct experience in dealing with the organic...slug robots."

Seeal almost smiled at the scientist's wince at using the very non-technical description.

"Oneakka!" A voice cut over the discussion and Seeal looked round to see Halling heading towards them with a worried frown across his face. She felt Oneakka tensing up near her shoulder before he moved around behind her, heading to meet Haling.

"We have a console free for you to use," Silvar said to Seeal, clearly not interested in the Elite interruption. Seeal looked towards the console just to the left that Silvar indicated.

"Thanks," she smiled, but she quickly looked back round to where Oneakka had met Halling.

"We have another problem," she could hear Halling say. "Teyla has dialled in from Atlantis." Teyla was Elite Emmagan wasn't she? And she was in Atlantis? Were Atlantis under attack from this new Hive as well?

"Someone has taken Sheppard," Halling finished.

Seeal gave up any pretence of not listening in and turned to face the Elite. Sheppard was in trouble?

"Who?" Oneakka demanded, instantly angry at the news.

"Unclear," Halling replied. "They're holding him hostage."

Seeal lowered the pad in her hands, alarmed. Who would dare kidnap someone from Atlantis who was an Elite's husband? Were they crazy?

"Is the Portal still open?" Oneakka asked, moving away with Halling.

"No, it was needed for the first probe prototypes to go through to Deployment Station, but we're-" Halling replied but the rest was lost to Seeal as the two male Elite moved out of earshot.

How were they going to help Sheppard with this crisis going on?

"Staff member Seeal?" Silvar's voice cut through her worries as she watched Oneakka's back disappear into the busy crowd of the Incident Room.

Feeling rather torn, and so very much out of the intelligence loop, she turned back round towards Silvar. He was stood by the console he had indicated was for her. She headed towards him, her eyes returning to the data on the pad in her hand.

"I have set the display to show all the new Hive's readings," Silvar explained as she sat down in the low chair in front of the console with its single screen – her new workstation. "And on this side, the more standard readings we would expect from a Hive, while down here we have included a link to the Seed Ship and slug robot data. Look through it all and if you see anything interesting, even fleeting, inform me. Understood?"

Seeal nodded.

"Good," Silvar smiled and reached for the pad he had given her earlier. She handed it to him and he then turned away, moving onto something else.

Left alone on the console, one clear task assigned to her, she frowned over her shoulder in the direction Oneakka and Halling had gone. She hoped Sheppard was okay.

She might have finally been asked to help with the current crisis, but it sounded like another crisis was happening on the other side of the galaxy. She couldn't help with that, but at least she could now help a little with the Hive issue.

That was helpful enough.

Wasn't it?

000000

It was the third wormhole in from the Alliance in the last hour and a half, but, so far, there had been no real progress on solving who had John.

And it appeared that John's capture was particularly badly timed for the Elite. The Alliance was under attack by a massive Wraith Hive that appeared to have the capability to appear within Alliance space without warning and disappear just as fast. Lives had been lost and a Hive was on the loose inside their borders. It made sense that they couldn't give Atlantis a mass of soldiers, ships and their undivided attention to finding John, but Sam damned well wished that they could.

The Elite appeared willing to help as much as they were able at least, but so far that only comprised providing the tech needed to, hopefully, trace the planet of origin the hostage takers were broadcasting from. In turn, the Elite had actually asked Sam for her help in whether Atlantis had encountered any Wraith tech with the capabilities of their terrorising Hive. Sam had had to report that they had no intel to share, and a search of the Ancient database hadn't heralded anything helpful. Rodney had already found details of the Ancients' theories on how to create a wormhole drive, but it was clear that they hadn't been successful. So, she hadn't been able to provide assistance to the Elite, and they were restricted in what help they could give.

Sam was not liking today.

The event horizon rippled below and two people emerged through the Gate, both pushing a waist-high trolley of tech. Elite and Alliance military tech. It was clear that the two men with the equipment were not Elite and were instead the promised technicians who would help Elites Emmagan and Si connect the tech up to Atlantis' systems. Sam worried on her lip as she watched Sumner meeting the two technicians in the middle of the floor below, overseeing the brief security checks before allowing them up to the Control Room behind Sam.

She just prayed they would be able to get the tech interfaced with the Ancient systems effectively and quickly enough. Part of her desperately wanted to lend a hand, to be able to help solve the puzzle and learn about the new tech, but that wasn't her job today. She had to leave that to Rodney and Radek to work with the two Elite and their technicians.

Elite Si appeared in Sam's view down into the Gate Room, and she watched him jog down the wide staircase to meet the newly arrived technicians.

Sam heard Chuck confirm arrival of the technicians over the radio to the Elite's Facility, and a second later the Gate shutdown. The Elite needed their own Gate as available as possible right now. Idly, Sam wondered how they handled the logistic nightmare of coordinating an area as vast as the Alliance's territory during a crisis. Some days she struggled with just Atlantis.

The balcony railing felt oddly warm in her hands as she watched Sumner and his team checking over the Elite tech, Elite Si at their side. Sam ran her eyes over the tech, seeing cables fixed at the sides, some of which looked already designed to perhaps interface with Ancient tech, but she was too high up to tell for certain. It wasn't her job right now anyway. Not anymore.

As if on cue with that thought, someone stepped up to the railing next to her. She watched Jack's hand settle on the railing close, but not too close, to her own hand, and she looked round at him, feeling desperately grateful that he was here.

Probably more than anyone else here, Jack completely understood everything she had to think about and everything she was feeling about this crisis. He had been stood in her place himself, and, in fact, she had been the one seemingly lost on another planet and held hostage. He also knew about the pressures of having to play the role of calm and in control leader, while inside she had nothing but fears and worries. One of her people was being held and threatened and she had little or nothing yet that would help her save him. Feeling helpless was hardly a new feeling, but she hated it today more than ever.

"Shipment in then, huh?" Jack asked as they looked down into the Gate Room together.

"Hopefully the Elite tech will help us track down the source Gate," Sam nodded. So far, Emmagan and Si hadn't been able to get anything useful from the recording of the dial in from John's kidnappers. The Elite needed their own equipment and there was no promise that they'd be able to get it working before the next dial in.

"You think that's going to work?" Jack asked, sounding doubtful.

"In theory," Sam explained, "by analysing the background of the transmission-"

"The background?" Jack asked.

"Think of it like an audio recording," she explained, "if you filter out the voices, there may be other 'sounds' recorded in the background that can help identify where it was made."

Jack nodded. "So what we're hoping we'll hear people talking in the background or the ocean?" He asked sarcastically, but she understood his point – what could they find in the background that would help when they were dealing with a wormhole, not a telephone call.

"Instead of it being just audio, they're looking for background frequencies that's separate from that produced by a wormhole," Sam explained to him, "and, hopefully, that might help them identify which planet, or region of the galaxy, its coming from."

Jack's expression pinched slightly. "Sounds complicated."

Sam nodded. "And even if they can find evidence in the background, that still has to be recognisable and distinctive enough to pinpoint a planet that the Elite, or we've, been to." Sam really didn't like the odds.

The worst part of that plan was that they might need to wait for the next dial in from the kidnappers to be able to properly analyse the background; and even if the next dial in allowed the Elite to identify the planet of origin, and that Sam could immediately then deploy a rescue team through the Gate, it was still going to be after the Wraith was likely used on John again.

She felt completely useless.

How many times could a Wraith feed on the same person? The kidnapper had said that they knew it took three hours between feedings for their victim to recover enough for another feeding, which meant that people could be fed on multiple times using their 'system'. But how many times? They knew from the case of Ellia feeding on her 'father' that a person could survive a short period of being feed upon, but maybe she had been more careful. The Wraith used on John had clearly not been trying to be gentle.

Even the Elite didn't know a great deal about the Wraith feeding process, which was understandable since their job was to kill the Wraith, not study the tiny detail of the feeding process. So, there was no way to adequately judge how much of John's life had already been taken, and how much a second feeding would cost him. Even if they could save him, but it took too long, then he could return an old man.

Sam let out breath, forcing away the turning worried thoughts. They weren't helping.

Below, Sumner had finished the security checks and the Elite tech was being wheeled towards the staircase.

"It all seems a little coincidental to me," Jack muttered thoughtfully alongside her as they watched Si and a technician lift the first trolley up the stairs. Sumner ordered two Marines to help the other technician carry up the other trolley. "The Alliance gets attacked just when we need their help?"

Sam looked round at him, surprised at the point. "You think this is some elaborate plan on behalf of the Alliance?" Sam asked.

Jack twitched a cheek, which meant he didn't actually believe his theory. "Just seems a coincidence," he added with a one shoulder shrug, "and you know how I feel about those."

She returned his tense smile. "I don't think the Elite are lying about a crisis just so they don't have to help us, but the timing is suspicious. Maybe whoever took John is using the Alliance crisis as a cover."

"Maybe," Jack considered quietly, "or this is actually because of our new contact with the Elite."

Sam turned towards him now, settling one elbow on the railing. "That maybe Sheppard was taken _because_ he's now married to Elite Emmagan?"

"If there are these Ancient worshipper people in the Alliance who think they deserve this city more than us," Jack settled his own elbow along the railing to face her, "taking Sheppard would be a good way to get a lot of attention for their cause."

Sam considered that theory from different angles. "I'm not convinced that makes sense for them," she replied, knowing Jack wouldn't take offence to her disagreeing. "Irritating the Elite at the time when the Alliance needs the Elite the most wouldn't help them gain support."

"Or someone just wants Sheppard out of the equation," he considered.

"My gut still says it's Kolya," Sam admitted. "It fits his MO to take advantage of the Alliance's crisis to grab the Major. And I get the feeling that Elite Emmagan thinks the same."

Jack nodded and then glanced aside into the busy Control Room. Sam could see that Si and his technicians had the trolleys up into the room finally and were rolling them towards where Rodney and Radek were stood with Emmagan ready to start trying to interface the tech.

"Did you see Emmagan's face when she watched the tape?" Jack asked quietly.

"Yes," she replied, meeting Jack's dark bright eyes and everything he was implying with his look. "But, I don't think it's wise for us to go making any assumptions," she attempted.

A faint smile lifted Jack's lips. "I think you and I are uniquely qualified at spotting those kinds of assumptions."

She could hardly disagree with that. She had often wondered how many in the SGC had quietly seen the attraction between her and Jack in all those long years they had worked together in the SGC. Daniel and Teal'c had known for sure, though even they had admitted that they had pretended not to see anything for a long while.

"People can grow very close when they fight alongside each other," Sam pointed out, "but that doesn't mean they all get as close as us."

"Poor bastards," Jack joked with another smile that carefully towed the line of professional and flirtatious.

She allowed herself to smile back briefly before returning to the more serious matters. "Regardless of any 'assumptions', I think Elite Emmagan seems highly motivated to help us get the Major back."

"True," Jack agreed, serious again.

Sam looked back into the Control Room. Rodney, Radek and the Elite technicians were in deep debate at the Ancient console at the back of the room. Off to the right, the IOA reps were engaging in their own personal little debate about something; they'd been doing that for the last hour or so.

"How are things with the IOA team?" Sam asked, glancing back to Jack.

"They keep huddling. You know I hate it when they huddle," he replied.

She had to smile slightly at that. "You _do_ remember that you're part of their team, right?"

Jack winced as if that fact was painful to him. He opened his mouth to say something further, but abruptly the Gate came to life down in the room below.

"Unscheduled off world activation," Chuck announced hurriedly across the room and Sam immediately pushed off the railing and headed towards him, aware of Jack following her.

"Time?" Sam asked as she reached Chuck's side at the Ancient's DHD console.

"We're still 1 hour 6 minutes out from the next target dial in," Chuck replied.

Was it the Elite dialling back in? Had they found something useful? Or was it John's kidnappers dialling in early to threaten them again?

"Or maybe this is their version of three hours," Sam considered out loud, glancing towards Jack on her right and Sumner on the other side of the console. She'd worried about this, but had hoped that the kidnappers had already known how long an Earth hour was from having access to John's watch.

She looked back down to the Ancient DHD where Chuck's hand was hovering over the shield activation button.

The atmosphere in the room around her was tense, with the only voices the distant conversation going on between Rodney and Elite Si at the back of the room. With only one more chevron to lock, Sam looked back towards them.

"Is the tech interfaced?" She asked them.

"Not yet," Radek was the one to answer, as Rodney was mostly hidden down behind one trolleys of Elite tech alongside Si.

"We need far longer," Emmagan added with a tense stern expression, her eyes on the glow emanating up from the Gate Room.

Sam turned back to watch the wormhole form and explode out from the Gate, turning and spiralling forward and then rushing back to form the ridiculously stable event horizon.

Chuck's hand fell instantly and the red glow of the shield shimmered over the Gate.

Chuck turned from the DHD to the main laptop on his right, which was just in front of Sam. She rested one hand on the console and fixed her eyes on the screen. Almost immediately a signal danced across the screen and a voice echoed up from the hidden speakers.

"Atlantis, this is Athos, are you receiving our transmission?" A male voice echoed up to her ears and she could practically feel the collective sigh of relief across the Control Room behind her.

"Confirmed, we are receiving Athos IDC," Chuck read out what Sam could see on the screen.

Sam nodded to Chuck as he opened the com frequency for her.

"Athos, this is Atlantis, we are receiving you," Sam called to the unknown voice.

"This is Lead Guard Vakalis, may I assume this is Colonel Carter?"

"We have video feed as well," Chuck said quietly from her side.

"Put it through," Sam nodded towards the nearby large screen. "Yes, this is Colonel Carter." She remembered the man from her visit to the Athosian Conference; he had been a constant presence near John throughout the visit.

"Greetings, Colonel Carter. May I request to speak with Honoured Elite Emmagan as well?"

The screen came to life ahead of Sam as she stepped up to it and she already saw Emmagan rounding the screen, the warrior stepping into place beside Sam as the recognisable face of Vakalis appeared.

Vakalis' eyes immediately switched to Emmagan. "Honoured Elite," he bowed his head.

"What have you found?" Emmagan asked him.

"I have conferred with the Elite Facility, as well as our contacts in Division and Enforcement," Vakalis began to report, and immediately Sam felt a touch of relief – the Alliance really were helping. "So far, we have been unable to identify any of the Ancestral groups who had professed to reclaim Atlantis who have anywhere near the connections, firepower, and willingness to undertaken the capture of Major Sheppard."

"What of those who issued threats against him?" Emmagan asked, her tone direct and her words clipped.

Emmagan had told them of some threats they had received against John's life, but they had all been dismissed. Unfortunately now that John was something of a public figure in the Alliance, it was inevitable that such threats would be made against him, not that Sam liked it. Nor did she like the fact that they had to rely on the Alliance to ensure the threats were dealt with and were not any real area of concern.

"All those who made the threats have already been arrested and charged by Enforcement," Vakalis reported. "Enforcement are questioning them all further, but so far it seems that none of them had any real plans to follow through in their threats."

Emmagan nodded, seeming unsurprised. She hadn't appeared all that worried about the threats when she had told Sam, nor had Torren when he'd first mentioned that it might happen.

"How can we be certain it isn't a group that hasn't yet been identified by your Enforcement?" Sam asked Vakalis and Emmagan. "A group could be working outside the Alliance."

"It is possible," Emmagan replied to her, "but the reality is that the Ancestor groups are not truly motivated to act against you because of their high regard for the Ancestors. We have previously allowed it to be known, with Major Sheppard's permission, that he carries the Ancestor genetics, and therefore, to them, he is actually a child of the Ancestors."

Sam nodded, understanding now. "Major Sheppard is a descendant of the Ancestors."

"And the Ancestors showed you the way back here to their city," Emmagan added. "These groups are angry that they cannot occupy this city, but at the same time they will not actually attempt to take it in fear that they would be going against the wishes of the Ancestors."

"Could there be a split group, more military minded to take the city?" Sumner asked from Emmagan's left.

"It is possible," Emmagan replied, glancing at Vakalis.

"We have found no evidence of one, other than the primary target former Commander Acastus Kolya," Vakalis supplied. "We already know that he tried to take Atlantis once before and he has attempted to assassinate Major Sheppard. He also has followers who live with him outside our territory who all have the means and training to take Major Sheppard."

"What of the faces in the recording I supplied?" Emmagan asked him.

Vakalis' expression shifted. "That is the most interesting part of the theory. None of them have been found in searches using the military, Enforcement or Division databases. However, we are in agreement that there are many indicators about them that suggest they are Genii." Emmagan nodded. "We know that the Elite and Division have found deletions within the databases that have been tracked back to Iketani' past betrayals. Considering her known past association with Kolya, she may have deleted certain Genii entries from the official databases for him."

Emmagan sighed lightly next to Sam. "Are we able to find out what she deleted?"

"No," Vakalis replied. "There are a few people working on it in the Facility, but they have not been successful. However, they have found references in the Toshka database that he recorded some seemingly dead Genii who have been identified as being with Kolya."

Sam frowned. "Toshka database?"

"Toshka is a criminal who kept a vast amount of blackmailing material in his own personal database. We retrieved it and have been working through it," Emmagan explained and then focused back on Vakalis. "Are there apparent deletions on the Genii' own database? Iketani surely could not have had access to that."

Vakalis gave a pointed frown. "This is where the evidence starts to get interesting, Honoured Elite. The Genii have denied us access to their planetary database."

"What?" Emmagan asked, angrily.

"Due to the Alliance-wide high alert, most planets are on shutdown protocols of non-emergency links and other communications," Vakalis reported. "But it has also come to light that there is a new riot taking place on the Genii homeworld. It is small, but this one is in the First City and Cowen has put everything into lockdown."

"Convenient," Sam muttered and glanced aside to where Jack stood out of view of the conversation with Athos.

"It is also known to us that Kolya is behind much of the civil unrest on the Genii homeworld," Vakalis added.

Sam understood. "He's causing problems on the homeworld to stop his people being identified and make Cowen look weak."

"Cowen will keep denying access to even the Elite if he thinks it will make the Genii look guilty," Emmagan stated, sounding angry. "We'll see if he sticks to that theory once I contact him directly."

"Might I suggest, Honoured Elite," Vakalis replied, "that both Colonel Carter and Leader Torren apply that pressure directly instead. Most will assume that you are within the Elite Facility and we have led even Enforcement and Division to believe the same. It may allow you to strike more effectively if the enemy do not believe any Elite are free to assist in the rescue mission."

"You think there may be Genii informants in Enforcement and Division?" Sam guessed.

"It is best to be cautious," Emmagan replied, but she sounded more thoughtful now. "Is there any new intel on Kolya himself?" She asked Vakalis.

"There is a lot of chatter about him among my contacts," he replied. "All of it is linked to the public disorder on the Genii homeworld. This latest riot started under the guise of protesting against the response to the new Wraith threat, but it has apparently quickly escalated to the usual anti-Cowen propaganda. The talk is that Kolya is driving this more than normal."

"More distractions," Emmagan muttered. "Any actual intel on Kolya's location?"

"None," Vakalis shook his head. "As before, all we have found is talk of his many different small underground bases spread throughout non-Alliance space. There is nothing so far to help us identify any planets, and since it is outside our territory, our information is limited. It is also possible that those who might have been able to quietly advise us on this are on the Genii homeworld and therefore currently unable to communicate with us due to the lockdown."

Yes, the little information that had come to Sam via Torren, suggested that there may be those within the Genii who would be prepared to help them hunt down Kolya.

"Anything else to report?" Emmagan asked.

"Nothing yet, Honoured Elite," Vakalis replied, appearing clearly disappointed that he didn't have anything else. "Leader Torren sends his thoughts again and repeats his regrets that he cannot assist more while Athos is on high alert."

Sam hadn't thought about that – Emmagan's home planet could become a target of the new Hive just as much as any other planet in the Alliance. Sam glanced at Emmagan's profile, but the same professional blankness was all that was visible right now.

"Keep working," Emmagan told Vakalis. "Be prepared to deploy once zero point."

"Already established, Honoured Elite," Vakalis replied with a nod and then his eyes switched to Sam. "To victory in rescuing Major Sheppard."

Sam nodded, "Thank you for your assistance."

"An honour to serve," Vakalis nodded and the screen went dark, and a second later Sam heard the Gate shutdown.

Turning to Emmagan, Sam considered the woman's dark frown. "Zero point?" She asked.

"Major Sheppard's Honour Guard stand ready to be deployed anywhere at any time," Emmagan replied.

"That's good to know," Sam replied as Sumner and Jack moved in towards her, forming a huddle; though Jack seemed okay with these types of huddles. "We can't be absolutely certain, I think it's looking increasingly like it is Kolya who has the Major."

"Which begs the question," Jack considered as he leant against a nearby console, "why hasn't Kolya killed Sheppard – he's tried before."

"Because keeping Major Sheppard alive for now serves him in some other fashion," Emmagan replied, her voice so emotionless that it came across sterner than if she had shouted.

"He can't force us to evac the city when he has only one hostage," Sumner supplied the blunt, but no less true, fact. If someone wanted to effectively threaten Atlantis like that, having one hostage that could be killed as a show of strength wouldn't work, as there was no further leverage for them to use.

"If it is Kolya, then I suspect that this has more to do with the politics back on the Genii homeworld," Emmagan replied. "Cowen is under significant political threat and is very close to losing control of his people," she shared.

Sam realised what Emmagan was saying. "You think Kolya is trying to take his place?"

Emmagan nodded. "He wants revenge for his excommunication and the seat of power that he believes he is now due."

"So he takes John," Sam considered the plan out loud, "threatens us and knows that we'll go to the Elite for help. Meanwhile he stirs up mass riots on the Genii homeworld, knows it will upset Cowen and make him defensive. We suspect Kolya and Cowen then refuses access to their planetary database, which makes him look highly suspicious. Seen as not helping the Elite will cause more unrest and push the Genii to remove him from power?"

"Or even require Enforcement to step in and perhaps even have to declare martial law on the Genii homeworld," Emmagan supplied. "Either way, it would be an effective way of pushing Cowen from power."

"Meanwhile, Kolya gets to kill Sheppard in a painful way that will give him the revenge he's been after these last years," Sumner added the more unsettling detail.

"And as Sheppard doesn't come back, there's no direct evidence that it was Kolya," Jack picked up the theory. "Because Kolya didn't appear in the video, maybe he can blame Cowen somehow."

"And I rejected the Genii' bid for the Political Marriage," Emmagan added, realising that extra element, "Cowen could be seen as taking out revenge on me and my chosen husband."

"Could it be Cowen who is actually behind all this?" Woolsey suddenly asked from behind Sam's left shoulder – she hadn't realised he and the other IOA had approached and were listening in. "What if it's the opposite of your predictions, and he's using Kolya as an excuse or cover for his own actions."

"For what end?" Sumner asked gruffly. "Cowen wants to stay in power, not take out revenge on the Elite and end up in a worse place.

"Either way, if it looks like Kolya and Cowen wins the day over Kolya, then he will regain political and military standing among the Genii. If he ends up helping us," Woolsey added, looking at Sam pointedly.

"We need to get Cowen to help us," she realised looking at Emmagan. "If we tell Cowen that we suspect its Kolya and that he's after the 'throne', as it were, then Cowen could give us all the access we need."

Emmagan's eyes suddenly brightened. Sam recognised that look, because she could feel it too -

Hope.

0000  
TBC


	24. The Threat

**Note1:** Happy New Year ahead to all :) Thank you so much for reading this fic and sticking with this AU world with me.

 **Note2:** I was hoping to post one last chapter for the year, but the chapter just went on so long that I decided to split it into two. Therefore, I am pleased to provide two new chapters today to see in the New Year. I hope you enjoy them.

0000

 **Chapter 24 – The Threat**

An atmosphere of discord and anxiety hovered over the Government buildings as Ladon moved quickly through the corridors. The morning was proving to be uncomfortably warm outside and a thick sense of humidity seemed to hang in the air, stealing the promise of a clean and fresh breath of air.

Or was that simply due to the tensions and whispers moving through the hallways?

The news of the latest riot had filtered around the senior officials and whispered between work colleagues. The riot had been small and had been contained at the main entrance into First City, seemingly started by those seeking to spread their discontent in from Second City.

But, of course, it was not the work of simply dissatisfied farmers and traders. Kolya was ramping up his plans, which suggested that perhaps the hour had arrived. Though no confirmation had yet been received through Ladon's co-conspirators that Major Sheppard had been captured successfully, the timing of the riot and the increasing sense of tension in the halls of power suggested that indeed Kolya had begun his endgame.

So, this hurried and sudden call for Ladon to report to Cowen's office was a little concerning, but perhaps expected.

Turning one last bend in the stone-worked hallways, the entrance to Cowen's office appeared just ahead, but the door was shut and the space outside it was filled with other waiting officials. Ladon arrived into the group, his eyes drawn almost immediately to where Hulte and General Maloo were stood to one side. Hulte lifted his chin as an invitation and Ladon started towards them.

As he made his way through the worried looking gathered officials and military leaders, Ladon caught snippets of their conversations, and almost all of it was about the riot. Lots of supposition and gossip mixed with nervous glances towards Cowen's closed door.

Having reached Hulte and Maloo, Ladon turned his back to the others around them, trusting Maloo to keep a subtle watch that no one strayed too close to hear anything incriminating.

"What is this about?" Ladon asked them quietly, the discussion easily covered by the other voices.

Hulte's eyes slid over to Maloo, who was the one to answer. "The Portal had received two dial ins from both Athos and Atlantis in the last hour."

Ladon drew in a breath. "Then it is underway for certain."

Hulte nodded. "Cowen refused the first dials in from both Athos and Atlantis, citing the current high alert lockdown, but then the Elite and Enforcement made further contact and now there is a dial in from Atlantis."

Ladon switched his eyes to Cowen's shut office door. "He's talking with them now?"

"We believe so," Hulte supplied.

"What has been said?" Ladon pushed for more details.

"No one knows yet," Hulte replied. "Only Commander General Reed is in there with him."

Ladon nodded, worrying on his lower lip as he considered the closed door.

"Are we still in agreement on our planned intervention?" Hulte asked, his voice lowering even further so that it was barely audible even to Ladon stood only a foot away.

Ladon nodded, his eyes shifting to Maloo, but the General nodded immediately. Though somewhat new to the covert group working for Kolya, he was trusted by Hulte and had a good military reputation that Kolya clearly respected. Brought into the fold by Hulte since Maloo had been hoping to bid for the Elite Political Marriage, Ladon suspected that Maloo's main motivation now in helping was to be part of the strike that would kill Major Sheppard. Though rarely one to show any glimpse of emotion, Maloo was clearly resentful that the Major had stolen his chance to marry an Elite warrior and seal himself a lucrative and politically important lifelong position.

"I will see to-" Hulte replied, but a sudden loud crashing sound cut through the air.

All discussions in the hallway dropped away instantly, all eyes on Cowen's closed door, through which could still be heard the rattling of something rolling across the floor inside.

Ladon glanced at Hulte, and the Ambassador smiled back – Cowen was reacting in his usual way then. The plan was ready to unfold. The next step was to build Cowen's fear of the Elite and the importance of assisting them and Atlantis to find Major Sheppard and bring Kolya to justice. Cowen needed to lead the raid that would attempt to capture Kolya, which, in his mind, would mean showing himself as the bold and powerful Genii leader that he wanted to be. Storming an enemy's bunker, fighting alongside the Elite and Atlantis, would be exactly what he needed to do to reaffirm his power; or at least that was what they needed to help him believe in order to fulfil Kolya's plan.

And yet...though the plan was of Kolya's devising, Ladon did not quite understand how this was going to be achieved in light of the riots and the new Alliance-wide high alert. Cowen had started to hunker down in his offices here and in his highly fortified Palace away from any potential riots and possible chance of being caught in a culling. Would that make him more likely to go off-world during a crisis? Would leaving the planet in the hour of need be seen as a very weak move by the Supreme Leader and present the opportunity for the people to riot and take over in his absence? Or would Cowen jump at the chance to leave for awhile and then be able to return a victorious Elite-assisting leader?

Of course he would never return, as Kolya's plan and Ladon's carefully constructed destructive device would ensure that Cowen and his strike battalion were removed efficiently from the Genii' main staging primary planet. The problem then would be, how to ensure that Kolya was stopped from returning and taking over, which was why Ladon and Hulte, with Maloo assisting, had planned to secretly assist Atlantis. If Kolya could remove Cowen, and Atlantis remove Kolya, then the threat of the Genii falling under another dictatorship would be averted and the homeworld could finally find stable leadership.

The office door abruptly opened at the hand of Commander General Reed from inside, but it was Cowen's voice that shouted through the open doorway.

"In here, now!" He commanded and immediately everyone outside started to file into the office.

Ladon made sure to place himself in the middle of the pack this time, not hiding at the back where his position may look suspicious. He also made sure not to stand with Hulte either, instead sliding into a position to one side in full view of Cowen's desk. As Ladon found his place, he noticed the dented metal cup and broken glass frame on the floor by his boots; evidence of Cowen's outburst.

Except, Cowen was not showing any obvious signs of that anger at the moment; he was stood behind his dark throne-like chair, looking instead at the wall screen behind his desk. The screen showed an image of the vast city deep below First City, Cowen's birthplace. His back to everyone filing in, Cowen remained still and silent, his hands clasped behind his back. Ladon noticed that Cowen's knuckles and fingers were blanched slightly white from the tight clasp, which was the only outward sign of his anger.

Everyone inside the office, Commander General Reed moved into his usual place at Cowen's shoulder and the room fell silent, all eyes on Cowen's back.

"It seems," Cowen said after a beat, "that an old enemy has lifted his head above the grasses he has been hiding in and is attempting to strike at me from afar." Cowen's voice was oddly controlled and calm, reminding Ladon of the Supreme Leader's more balanced early years of ruling their people.

Around the crowded room, Ladon was aware there were at least five of his fellow conspirators, all ready and placed for this very moment. He made sure not to look at any of them, his eyes on Cowen and he worked to make sure he was frowning, as if unsure of Cowen's meaning. For though Cowen's back was turned to them, Commander General Reed was always watching.

"What enemy, Cowen?" Someone innocently asked from the crowd.

"One who was once a celebrated soldier of our people, but now who behaves little more than a criminal begging for scraps now that he is excommunicated," Cowen muttered, almost more to himself.

Two people stood close to Ladon whispered Kolya's name.

"Acastus Kolya," Cowen stated slowly. "I always knew he would try something one day; a good soldier never stops fighting."

Ladon made sure to frown deeply, exchanging a look with another senior official stood next to him.

"It seems," Cowen continued, his back still to them, "that Kolya has finally decided to take his revenge on Atlantis and has captured Major Sheppard, intending to kill him."

Ladon chose his moment. "Major Sheppard?" He asked Cowen. "As in _Elite Emmagan_ 's new Political Husband?" Worried whispering told him not everyone in the room had realised the full implications.

"Yes, Ladon," Cowen replied. "And Kolya is looking to lay the blame on me and our people."

More whispering.

"This cannot be allowed to happen," someone stated unnecessarily.

"We must strike back at him," Pendrick said from across the room, one of Ladon's fellow conspirators.

Pendrick had a staunch and unyielding belief in Kolya, which could present a problem in the days to come.

"We must prove to the Elite and Atlantis that we will not be blamed for such disregard for law," Pendrick continued, his words making sense to those around him considering his high position in security. "If the Elite blame the Genii and take out their revenge on us..."

More worried whispers met that seeded idea.

"We can't have the Elite coming here, blaming us!" Someone said a little too loudly.

But, oddly, Cowen didn't seem to react to that, and the office fell quiet again, all eyes returning to his back.

"Something has been playing on my mind for some time now," Cowen told them. "About these riots." Ladon held still, surprised. "But now it makes sense. Small strike groups that appear out of nowhere; it is just the kind of thing Kolya would think of."

Ladon swore he could feel Hulte looking at him across the crowded room, but he kept his eyes on Cowen, working on the appearance of confused worry; which was not all that difficult considering Cowen's surprising reaction so far.

"Underhanded but arrogantly bold," Cowen continued with surprisingly calm logic. "It stinks of Kolya. He thought he could undermine my rule, force the Genii people against each other, but that wasn't working, so now he's taken things a step further. He's using Atlantis and even the Elite against me," Cowen shook his head. "The arrogance of the man."

Ladon risked a glance across the others in the room, seeing Maloo on the edge of his view; the General was frowning, his own surprise clear on his face.

"Then it is even more vital that _we_ are the ones to deal with Kolya," Pendrick put in. "That we stop his traitorous ways and prove your innocence and power to our people, to bring us back together."

It sounded good, and on any other day it might work, but the words felt oddly concocted in the face of Cowen's turned back and oddly calm behaviour.

"Commander General Reed tells me that we have some possible locations as to where Kolya has been hiding all these years," Cowen asked over his shoulder towards Pendrick.

"We have some possible locations," Pendrick agreed, "but it has been policy not to hunt him outside of Alliance territory."

"Under whose orders?" Cowen asked sharply. Ladon didn't like this. Did Cowen already suspect Pendrick?

"It is part of the general Alliance agreement," unexpectedly it was Commander General Reed who supplied that fact, saving Pendrick without intending. "We are not allowed to pursue any territory or vendettas outside of the borders."

Cowen looked at Reed at his side, but, at this angle, Ladon could not see his expression.

"With the Elite's request for our assistance," Pendrick put in, "we can now put together a strike force to find Kolya wherever he thinks he can hide from us outside the border."

Cowen finally looked round, turning on the spot, his eyes on Pendrick. "And why would we do that exactly?"

A moment of mutual surprised confusion fell across the office. Ladon tried not to wince as he watched Pendrick try to recover.

"To stop him," Pendrick came up with.

"And play right into Kolya's hands?" Cowen asked, some anger starting to rise in his voice. "I have no doubt that any, if not all, of our intelligence on his possible location is tainted with the stink of Kolya's touch. No Genii lives will be lost walking into Kolya's very obvious trap. We'll let Atlantis and the Elite find him."

Cowen moved around his desk chair and sat down, and as he settled back in his throne, he finally looked around the room. "I want a list of any and all possible locations of Kolya and I want when all within the next half hour. I will then provide the list to Atlantis for them to do the hard work for us, and, if they find Kolya, I have no doubt that the Elite will deal with him. If he is so stupid as to kidnap an Elite's Husband, then I'll not stop them making sure he's never a problem again," Cowen smiled with clear satisfaction.

Whatever Cowen's initial reaction to the news from Atlantis, the broken evidence of which crunched under Ladon's boot, clearly he had thought it through and arrived at what was a rather sensible conclusion.

But, it was exactly the opposite of what Kolya wanted him to do.

Wasn't it? Wasn't this exactly what Ladon had feared? That Cowen would not do as they hoped he would. Cowen had spotted the trap easily enough, it seemed, which surely Kolya would have considered. Kolya was one of the most highly skilled strategists Ladon had ever known, a fact which struck him as the plan appeared to evaporate in front of them.

Would Kolya really have so completely underestimated Cowen? Or was there going to be another part of the plan that would draw Cowen off-world later, which Ladon and his group were not yet aware. They had suspected that Kolya had started to alter his plan without sharing the changes with them, but getting Cowen off-world had always been a central part of the plan.

Unless Kolya had given up on that idea.

It occurred to Ladon that, if Major Sheppard were never recovered, if he were killed and Kolya never found, how would the Elite and the rest of the Alliance react? The blame, or at least heavy suspicion, would surely fall on Cowen and the Genii people. Would the Elite put boots on the homeworld? Would Enforcement arrive to investigate the highest levels of Government? Perhaps Kolya had already left little pieces of incriminating evidence for that eventuality.

Athos surely would withdraw all its trade, which would be a severe blow to the Genii economy, especially as Athos' many close trading partners might feel obligated to also punish the Genii by withdrawing their trade and support. Would Political Marriages be broken, defence contracts withdrawn, and currency investment abruptly vanish?

And at the heart of it all, Supreme Leader Cowen would be blamed. What would Ladon's fellow Genii do if they thought it was all his fault? As in the old days of the Genii civilisation, would there be a mass revolution to remove the leader? Could this be Kolya's new plan? To drag Cowen from his throne using the Genii people themselves.

It was a plan that suddenly made far more sense to Ladon than the simple attempt to lure Cowen off-world for an untraceable explosive device to remove him. This way, Kolya could return once Cowen was removed, blaming everything that had befallen the Genii people on Cowen's terrible rule. Kolya would promise them a bright new future, to unite the Genii people once again, despite having secretly been the one to tear them apart in the first place.

It seemed mad, so unfeelingly cruel to their people, that Ladon could only pray that it was simply all in his own mind.

Hulte's voice rose over Ladon's worried thoughts.

"Cowen, might I suggest," Hulte said in his own worried tone, "that, as our Ambassador to Athos, that I visit Leader Torren and assure him of our conviction to assist in the recovery of his new Son by Marriage." There as some murmurs of agreement. "Considering how much trade we have with Athos and its closest allies, and the new contracts following the decline of our offer of Political Marriage, I think it is important that I visit him in person for you."

And also provide the next step in the plan to undermine Kolya, which was now perhaps even more vital than before. The locations Ladon and Hulte were going to give Atlantis were at least actual known secret bases and holding places Kolya had been using out beyond the border, whereas what Cowen was going to supply them would probably be simple weak gossip and old former Genii spy huts. No, Atlantis needed the accurate list now more than ever if they were going to find Major Sheppard and Kolya.

Cowen appeared to be thinking about Hulte's suggestion. "I agree, make sure that we're seen as _very_ worried," Cowen replied almost eagerly. "In fact, stay close to Torren, because he'll have reliable intel on Atlantis' hunt for Kolya and Major Sheppard. Stay with him and report back regularly; I want to know what is happening as it happens."

"Yes, Cowen," Hulte agreed readily, but obviously not for the reasons Cowen was aware.

Ladon could only hope that Atlantis were successful and that Kolya was stopped quickly. Though all of Ladon's fellow conspirators disapproved of Cowen's unstable and weak rule, at least he was not using drugs, civil unrest, and the threat of collapsing the Genii economy as Kolya was willing to do.

No, it was vitally important that Major Sheppard was rescued and able to report who had taken him, for he had become the linchpin in a war between the two aggressive Genii leaders.

00000

Teyla had never felt so useless in her entire life.

Everyone around her was doing their very best to prepare all they could to help find John, while Teyla just watched, providing nothing except a few comments.

She'd stood to the side and watched as Colonel Carter had expertly spoken with Cowen. The Colonel had delivered her news and worked her request for his assistance with remarkable skill, walking an amazing balance of being somewhat accusatory while also coming across as helping Cowen by reporting Kolya's work. Cowen had in turn provided a surprisingly balanced response, clearly unpleased, but seeming to be willing to provide some intelligence on where Kolya might be. He had also agreed to work with the Elite in allowing access to the Genii' personnel database.

Shortly after Colonel Carter had spoken with Cowen, Father had dialled in from Athos once more, reporting that the Honour Guard were working closely with Halling and Oneakka at the Facility and that they had already received acknowledgement from the Genii that they could access the Genii databanks. It seemed all were active and working to do whatever they could.

Even Earth's IOA group appeared to be providing some support and brainstorming ideas with Colonels Carter and Sumner, and Si and the two Facility technicians had been working hard with Doctors McKay and Zelenka to interface the analysis tech to the Ancestor systems. The interface had been completely a short time ago, and Si was sat in front of the main screen on the tech running preliminary tests on the recording Atlantis had provided of the transmission from the captors. Sat on one side of Si, the two technicians were in deep discussion with him, with plenty of pointing and reprogramming of settings. While on Si' other side, Dr McKay was watching and asking his own questions.

Teyla just watched it all, seeing everyone fulfilling their roles, while all she could do was stand and watch.

And desperately try not to keep replaying the horrific images from the recording in her mind's eye.

John.

She was completely useless to him just when he needed her the most.

She just needed somewhere to go or something to do for him, but there was nothing for her to do but wait.

A display on Dr McKay's computer screen to her left showed the Earth time system. To help her understand the timing, someone had given her one of the Earth wrist timepieces, and she found she kept looking at the device with an obsessiveness that only made the two small 'arms' of the Earth clock seem to move all that slower.

But the arms had kept moving, and were continuing to do so towards the fateful predicted time that John's captors would dial back into Atlantis.

Leaning down, Seeal looked over Si shoulder and watched the analysis readings, as she did she rested her hands on Si' wide and supportive shoulders. She was so desperately grateful Si was here and helping, for these transmission analyses were not her forte. She peered at the main screen in front of Si, watching the readings it had managed to capture from the recording, but she could already see that it was incomplete.

"Our systems aren't understanding the Ancestor readings of the recorded transmission," Si supplied her with the answer to her unasked question.

"We need to record and analyse a transmission through the Portal in real time," one of the technicians confirmed the resulting conclusion.

Teyla nodded and stood back upright. She had suspected this would be the case, but she had hoped so very much that a clear origin Portal might have been discovered so easily.

So, they had to wait for John to be tortured again.

She closed her eyes for the time it took her to draw in a breath and release it.

She was not sure that she could watch John going through that again.

As much as she hated it, she had agreed with Vakalis' suggestion that, for now, she remain unseen by the enemy. Colonel Carter and Si had both supported the suggestion, for it meant that the enemy might think Elite warriors and technology could not be used against them while the Alliance was on high alert.

Which was yet another area where she was completely useless right now. A Hive ship was somewhere in Alliance space and could potentially attack any planet at any time. There had actually been a culling on Atreus! Atreus had not seen a Wraith anywhere near its space in decades. Her fellow Elite were stationed around the Alliance, ready to support and fight, and she was not there to help. For all she knew, Athos could be the next planet to be attacked.

She took another controlled breath in and out to calm herself.

And then the Portal could be heard statring up.

"Unscheduled off-world activation!" The man sat at the Ancestor Portal console announced.

Teyla lifted her left wrist and it's slightly too big Earth timepiece. It was time!

She dropped her eyes back to Si' screen and saw him quickly preparing to analyse and record the inbound Portal's transmissions. Dr McKay moved back to sit in front of his computer screen, which he had told her would allow them to watch the inbound transmission without her being seen.

Not that she wanted to watch it.

Perhaps it was not John's captors, but Father or even Cowen dialling into Atlantis.

The wormhole exploded to life in the room below, out of Teyla's view, but she saw the moment that the transmission started across Si' screen. At least the tech was working.

"Receiving video feed," the announcement was proclaimed at the front of the room.

Teyla dropped her gaze over Dr McKay's screen just to her left, her uselessness threatening to tear her apart as the image appeared.

0000

John had just started to feel a lot stronger then Kolya's goons had returned.

He had watched as they unlocked the cell door and had considered putting up a proper fight this time, but, clearly, they were expecting him to try. All three of the goons had their Alliance guns ready, their eyes sharp and careful. As he'd walked out of his cell on demand this time, they'd annoyingly kept a smart distance from him; well beyond grabbing range.

So, he'd done as he was ordered and had quietly walked back down the cold stone hallways of their secret underground bunker of horror. Hopefully it wasn't going to be 'secret' all that much longer once Atlantis and Teyla got here.

As no immediate rescue appeared imminent right now, he'd focused on memorising the route from his cell to the hostage room, but, annoyingly, it was only two long corridors distance to walk and there had been no sight any of helpful staircases going upwards or any handy wall maps marked with 'you are here'.

He really hated it when an enemy was so damn smart.

Even more annoyingly, Kolya still hadn't appeared when John had been led back to the dentist chair of pain and strapped back into it.

As they worked, John tried desperately to hide the anxiety that was making him breathe too fast. He needed to stay calm. Looking round the room as casually as he could, his saw that Kolya's weak-ass replacement was already here.

As the last shackle was connected around John's ankles and the guards stepped out of view, Pranos stepped forward, smiling that snake smile.

"How are you feeling, Major Sheppard?"

"Just dandy," John replied sarcastically.

Pranos smiled again.

"Kolya still watching from afar?" John asked. His heart was already hammering in his chest just being back in here and they hadn't even brought out the Wraith yet. Maybe they weren't going to this time, after all there was no point in the Wraith just killing him and Pranos losing his leverage over Atlantis.

"I am keeping the Commander fully apprised," Pranos replied as the guard behind him was tapping away on his Alliance electronic pad cabled into the back of the big old camera. They were hooked up ready to play it appeared.

He needed to keep his cool here.

"Look," he said as calmly as he could up at Pranos, "we both know that my people are never going to hand Atlantis over to you."

"I think you underestimate your importance to Atlantis and the Elite," Pranos replied.

John frowned up at him. He'd had far too much time to think about this in the last three hours. "This isn't about Atlantis," he told Pranos, "this is about Kolya playing out his personal vendetta against me, so why don't we just finish this?"

"This is about you paying for your crimes against the Genii people," Pranos instantly argued.

" _My_ crimes?" John scoffed.

Pranos shifted forward a step, leaning down towards John; yep he'd definitely hit a nerve. "It is because of _you_ that Commander Kolya was forced to flee Alliance territory and Cowen continues to terrorise our people."

"It was Kolya and his team who stormed Atlantis and killed _my_ people," John argued back.

"Your actions that day brought about the death of an entire battalion," Pranos spat back. "I knew those men and women, and, by closing Atlantis' Portal shield, you killed them all."

"We were the ones under attack; we were defending ourselves," John countered.

"I am sure that feels like justification enough for you," Pranos argued.

John made himself take a breath; this wasn't getting anywhere. He licked his overly dry lips and made himself stay calm and logical. "Look, just tell Colonel Carter what you _really_ want and maybe we can make a deal."

"I have already made our terms very clear, Major Sheppard," Pranos stated and then waved sharply off to the left.

John heard the far door open and the new sounds of shuffling feet and the jangling of chains filled the horrifically silent room.

Breathing hard, John tried not to look round, but couldn't stop himself. He swore he could feel the old feeding mark start to sting again as he did, as if the sight of the Wraith had opened up the wound again. Shit, that didn't happen did it?

Only then John's view of the approaching Wraith was helpfully blocked by a Genii goon stepping forward with that white gag stretched between his hands again. This time John tried to resist the gag, which was probably a complete waste of energy, but he twisted his head one way and then the other, trying to fight against the fabric being wrapped around his head. The fight didn't work for more than a few seconds though, as another set of hands grabbed at John's head, holding him still enough for the gag fabric to be wrapped around his face.

As the Genii guard tied the gag in place a little too tightly at the back of John's head, he panted into the cloth, vividly aware of the clink clink of the chained Wraith being led past behind his chair.

The guards stepped back from him, and the dusty brown of the Wraith's outfit filled the right side of John's view. He worked hard not to look at it, to not look at that gauntleted feeding hand that was probably going to be freed any minute now.

His eyes on the floor as he worked to control his breathing and heart-rate, John listened as the guards unlocked the gauntlet and then the Wraith sighed almost blissfully.

On the edge of his peripheral vision, John saw the green fingers appear and flex with anticipation.

"Dial the Portal," Pranos ordered his underlings.

They were dialling Atlantis then.

John forced himself to look forward, holding his chin up. He wasn't going to go let Pranos think he was going to win this. Atlantis needed him to look strong and defiant, because he was.

And he didn't want their last view of him to be afraid and staring at the floor.

He didn't want Teyla to see him like that.

If she was even still in Atlantis.

He closed his eyes for a second, letting himself think about her. Things had been getting so much better between them, and now he was going to go out like this?

Memories of her from early this morning flashed through his mind's eye. He'd looked through their open adjoining door to see her sat on the floor meditating. Her face had looked so serene, her back so straight and yet relaxed, her hands gently resting on her thighs. New morning light had been creeping in around her curtains, and a small band of sunrise had shone across her lap.

He wanted to see that every morning.

But he might never see her again.

Rage at the unfairness of this threatened to fill his closed eyes with tears.

He should have kissed her. Just one last time.

He should have kissed her in the new morning sunlight.

"Atlantis, do you hear me?" Pranos called towards the Genii' camera.

John batted open his eyes and looked towards the camera, holding his chin up a little higher and he pulled his shoulders back.

" _We are reading you_ ," Colonel Carter's familiar, and welcome, voice echoed down from the small speakers of the Alliance pad connected to the big camera.

"Good," Pranos replied. He was stood slightly to the side this time, making sure Atlantis could see John straightaway this time. And the Wraith stood looming over him.

John wished he could see through to Atlantis, get to see his home one last time. Be able to see Teyla again and make sure she could see he was being strong.

"What is your answer, Colonel Carter?" Pranos asked the camera.

" _We are prepared to discuss alternative terms with you_ ," Colonel Carter's voice replied.

Pranos shook his head straightaway. "I have clearly stated our terms already. Will you evacuate Atlantis and turn it over to us?"

There was a pause, but John knew what the answer was going to be. It was never going to be anything else.

" _No_ , _we will not hand this city over to you_ ," Colonel Carter stated clearly.

John nodded his head forcefully so they would be able to see it on the other side. It was important that the Colonel see that he agreed with her, that he wasn't going to let this idiot use him to force Atlantis to do anything.

"I am a very disappointed, Colonel Carter," Pranos said. "I can only assume that you doubt that we are fully prepared to sacrifice Major Sheppard for our cause. Consider what the Alliance and the Elite will say when you report to them that you allowed Major Sheppard to be murdered when you had it in your power to save him."

Did he have to use the word 'murdered'? John closed his eyes again, taking a breath to keep himself as calm as he could. On opening his eyes though, he immediately found himself glancing towards the Wraith on his right. The green feeding hand was held out, the Genii guard's grip clearly tight around the Wraith's wrist to hold it back; until they wanted the thing to feed on him.

John lifted his eyes further to look up at the Wraith's face, to find it was already watching him. The thing's hunger was pretty damn obvious, which only made John's heart hammer faster in his chest and that stinging sensation on the feeding mark increased.

The Wraith was slightly stooped forward, the guards' hands around it holding it back...or maybe holding it up as well? Now the thing was out of its cell, John could see the sickly looking sheen across the Wraith's face, and the drawn, almost gaunt, lines of its face. It had looked better during their argument.

The life it had taken from him earlier really had worn off already. Used up and discarded; John's own life. And clearly the Wraith needed more, and was probably going to get it any minute now.

" _We do not, and will not, bow to terrorist demands_ ," Colonel Carter's forceful words cut through John's assessment of the Wraith and he looked back towards the camera. He'd missed some conversation between the Colonel and Pranos, but the Colonel's statement caught him right up.

Pranos shook his head, as if he was actually sorry to hear what she had said. "That is very regrettable, Colonel Carter," he told her. "Let's see if this will help you change your mind."

Pranos looked round at the Wraith and its restraining guards.

John's heart kicked up an extra notch in speed and fury.

"Do it!" Pranos commanded.

John shot his eyes back up to the Wraith, seeing the guards releasing it, and the Wraith turned its alien eyes from Pranos down to John.

John stared up at it, defiant and snorting loudly at what was about to happen all over again.

For a fraction of a moment, he thought the Wraith wasn't going to do it, but then its hand flashed down with frightening speed.

The feeding hand hit right where it had last time and suddenly pain filled every part of John's existence.

0000000  
 _on to chapter 25_


	25. The Breadcrumbs

**Second** chapter of the day...

0000

 **Chapter 25 – The Breadcrumbs**

John's cries were horrifically audible over the transmission, mixing in with the feeding growls of the Wraith as it fed on John's life.

Unable to do anything, unable to stop what was happening, Teyla could only stare in horror at the image on Dr McKay's computer screen.

John's head was thrown back, his body physically shaking under the onslaught of the Wraith's attack.

It was taking too much!

Teyla felt the tears in her eyes and she clenched her hands tightly in front of her, leaning into Si' back at the analysis console.

"No!" Dr McKay shouted from beside her, shooting up from his seat, almost knocking over his computer as he did.

" _Enough_ ," the man holding John commanded loudly over the growls and cries, and Teyla watched as the two other men pulled the Wraith away from John.

As the Wraith was pulled aside, John slumped forward in the chair, his body visibly heaving with his breaths.

He was still alive.

He lifted his head.

She could see the hair around his face was partly greyed and his face was drawn, not just from his newly weakened state, but because he already looked older.

John!

The main captor stepped back across the image, blocking their view of John once more.

Teyla narrowed her eyes on the man responsible for all of this, who held John's' life in his hands far more than the Wraith that had just fed. She fixed the man's face into her mind, swearing to herself that she would deal with him personally. There would be no justice but that which she would bring upon him.

" _You have three more hours to reconsider the value of human life to your people, and the value Major Sheppard has to your new alliance_ ," the man stated and abruptly the image cut away into blackness and, in the room below, the Portal shutdown.

Voices chorused around the Lantean room around her, but Teyla simply kept staring at the darkened computer screen where John had just been.

She had to keep control and not give into the urge to cry.

John was still alive. There was still time to save him.

At which point she remembered Si' work and she snapped her attention down over his shoulder to the display screen. At which point that she realised that her hands had been on Si' shoulders this entire time and that she had clenched large fistfuls of his shirt in her hands. He had not reacted to it, silently, as always, her ever-steadfast friend.

She made herself open her white-knuckled hands and release his clothing, and then she was able to look at what was on the screens in front of him. Si was in quiet discussion with the two technicians, and Dr McKay was now leaning in as well.

"Do you have anything?" Colonel Carter's voice asked urgently, arriving on the other side of the tech from Si, General O'Neill beside her.

Teyla focused on the screens herself as Si answered.

"We have a full recording of the transmission," Si reported, while he and the technicians were tapping away on controls. Teyla frowned at the display, finally able to focus enough to assess what it showed.

Her heart fell.

"There is plenty of background data," Si continued, "in fact that there is _too_ much."

Teyla stood upright and looked at Colonel Carter. "This suggests that the transmission did not come through one single Portal," she reported.

Colonel Carter's expression shifted, clearly understanding the implications instantly. "Are we able to separate the different Portal transmissions within the data? Still identify which Portals were used?"

"It needs far more analysis," Si replied. "This is going to take time."

"If we filter it through Atlantis' systems?" Dr Zelenka put in from one side. "Perhaps we can identify the different parts of transmissions for you to analyse?"

"We should be able to filter it down," one of Facility's technician replied. "But, I suggest that we copy this through to the Facility; our computer systems there should be able to analyse it faster and use other transmissions we have as comparisons."

Colonel Carter nodded quickly. "We'll dial the Elite now. McKay do you think-"

"Unscheduled off-world activation!" A voice shouted across the room though as the Portal in the next room came alive again.

All heads turned and Colonel Carter hurried back towards her station. Hopefully it would be the Facility anyway, or was it Cowen finally supplying the information he had on Kolya's likely locations?

As she stared at Colonel Carter's retreating back, Teyla's eyes were drawn to General O'Neill, who had held back and had his deeply dark eyes upon her.

"We'll find him," he told her, the promise clearly heartfelt. "We _don't_ leave our people behind."

Teyla nodded. She had heard John say that very statement several times, and to hear it voiced by John's superior, who she knew he deeply respected, it gave her little bit of confidence. John's people really did care for him and would not let this pass.

She just wished that she would stop thinking of the many she had lost over the years; fallen to the hands of the Wraith that she had been unable to save in time.

"Receiving Athos IDC," the announcement drew Teyla's attention back across the room.

"Atlantis, this is Athos," Father's voice was very welcome as Teyla hurried towards the usual large display screen Colonel Carter was already turning towards.

"We are receiving you, Torren," Colonel Carter replied to him.

Teyla reached her side to see Father's face filling the screen and his eyes immediately moved to her.

"Honoured Daughter," he smiled tightly, his eyes assessing her. "Is there any further news on Major Sheppard?"

"We have had no progress so far," Teyla replied, trying to control her expression and tone but knowing full well that Father would be able to see through it. Her control was for those around her, not Father. She could see the worry in his eyes in turn; concern for John and for her.

"I am sorry to hear that," Father replied. "But, I may have something to help."

Teyla had not been expecting that.

"What do you have?" Colonel Carter asked eagerly from Teyla's side.

"Do you recall that I was approached by a member of the Genii who reported that we had a common enemy in the excommunicated Commander Kolya?" Father asked.

"Yes," Colonel Carter nodded.

"The same individual has just approached me again," Father reported. "This time with a list of last known locations of Kolya."

Sensitive hope burst to life in Teyla's heart; would this finally be something they could use?

"I am sending the list through now," Father added as he nodded off to the side to someone.

"Receiving," a voice behind Teyla reported. "We have six Gate addresses and text for each."

"Could this have come from Cowen?" Colonel Carter asked Father.

"No," Torren replied. "I do not believe so. Without disclosing the contact over Portal, I have confidence this individual is well placed to provide accurate enough information. It may be that this individual will remain readily available for further queries as well."

Was the contact on Athos?

"Has the Alliance high alert been lifted?" Teyla asked Father.

"No, but politically important individuals are using the Portal," Father replied, which meant that not only was the individual on Athos, but that they were from the Genii Government to be able to use the Portal to reach Athos. "Though there are indications from the Councils that the high alert status may need to be lowered if there is no further attack. Trade and transport has been delayed for over a day now and foods are spoiling left undelivered."

Teyla nodded.

"You trust this contact?" Colonel Carter asked Father.

Father tilted his head as he considered her question. "I think it is in this individual's best interest that the culprit is found. I should add that this individual seems _very_ certain that it is indeed Commander Kolya of the Genii who has Major Sheppard."

So there were Genii who knew what was going on.

"Can the individual be sent here?" Teyla asked. "For further questioning?" She would very much like to speak with this person.

"If they were to leave here," Father's eyes met hers heavily, conveying meaning, "it might alert certain people. At least that is what they have led me to believe. They are, however, speaking with the Honour Guard."

That was good.

Father looked off to the right. "Lead Guard Vakalis is here and wishes to speak with you."

"Thank you, Father," Teyla said quickly before he disappeared.

"Find him for us all," he replied, his own turmoil a little more obvious in the look.

"Thank you, Torren," Colonel Carter added. "We are _very_ grateful for your help."

"Contact me if you need anything," he replied to her and then stepped away.

Vakalis filled the view, his eyes lifting from a pad in his hand. "Honoured Elite; Colonel Carter," he nodded.

"What do you have?" Teyla asked quickly.

"Cowen has allowed Elite access to the Genii databanks, and we have now identified all the men seen in the transmission you provided," Vakalis reported the good news. "The individual here has also confirmed the same identities. They are all Genii with former associations with Kolya, and they are all listed as either dead or missing by the Genii military."

Finally, something.

"Who is the one apparently in charge?" Teyla asked, hearing the anger in her voice now.

"He is called Pranos," Vakalis lifted his pad. "He has been one of Kolya's closest compatriots throughout his former military career and is described by the individual here as being blindly loyal to Kolya."

"What does the contact know about Kolya's plan?" Teyla asked.

"The individual here knows only that Major Sheppard is being held by Kolya and that it is indeed, as you suspected, part of Kolya's attempt to return to the Genii homeworld, preferably as a replacement of Cowen."

"If that's all your contact knows," Colonel Sumner put in from the other side of Colonel Carter, "then there's no guarantee that the Major is being held at one of the six Gate addresses they've provided?"

"The six locations are definite bases that Kolya has been using outside Alliance space since his excommunication, but there is no way to know which one is where they are holding Major Sheppard," Vakalis replied.

"Good work," Teyla told him. "We have been contacted again by Pranos and his group," she informed him. "We are going to send through a copy of the transmission. Pass this along to Halling and ensure this is only shared via the highest secure links."

Teyla looked to Colonel Carter, who looked back towards Dr McKay.

"Sending now," Dr McKay replied instantly as he tapped on his computer. Beside him, Si was watching from the Elite tech console, the technicians working beside him.

"Be advised, that our analysis so far shows that the transmission was sent through more than one Portal," Teyla told Vakalis.

On the screen, Vakalis nodded, his eyes downward, no doubt on the control screen at his end of the conversation. "I am receiving the data now."

To the left, someone else's shoulder faintly appeared and Vakalis looked round. Shemu, another member of John's Honour Guard, leant in and handed Vakalis a new pad.

"The latest in from Enforcement reports that they have still found no intel from any of the Ancestor worship groups that have threatened Major Sheppard," Vakalis reported from the pad.

"I am convinced that it is Kolya," stated Teyla, the evidence now overwhelming in her opinion. "He is using the Ancestor worshippers' cause as a cover."

Vakalis nodded and glanced down again. "We have the full transmission recording. I will speak with the Facility now. Honoured Elite Oneakka asked me to inform you that he has spoken over link with Supreme Leader Cowen and informed him of the Elite's displeasure that Genii are behind the capture."

Teyla almost smiled to think of how that conversation had gone. Oneakka would have used none of the clever persuasion that Colonel Carter had used on the Genii leader.

"Good," she told Vakalis. "Report back as soon as you have anything."

"Yes, Honoured Elite," Vakalis nodded. "Colonel Carter," he nodded to the city's leader and then reached forward. The screen went dark.

"I _knew_ it was Kolya," Lieutenant Ford cursed loudly from one side as the Portal from Athos shutdown.

"I might have something here," Dr McKay called from the back of the room. All eyes turned to him. Si was stood at his side, both of them looking at the Earth computer screen. "One of the new Gate addresses is on the list I brought back from M1K 177."

"Do we know it?" Colonel Carter asked as she approached the Doctor and Si. Teyla followed quickly.

"We've not been there," Dr McKay reported, "but this new information includes text on where Kolya's base is supposed to be on the planet. It's apparently in an empty quarter of a town close to the Gate, in an old factory building." Dr McKay looked up from his screen, the eager hope clear across his face.

"Do we know of this planet?" Teyla asked Si.

Si shook his head. "No, it is on the other side of the galaxy from the Alliance."

Teyla turned to Colonel Carter. "I would like to go with your team," she stated and, fortunately, the city's Lead nodded.

"Colonel Sumner," Colonel Carter called to her Military Lead, "are your teams ready?"

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied with clear eagerness before he turned and strode out of the room to head down to the Portal, while simultaneously shouting orders to his people to prepare to depart.

"Dial the planet," Colonel Carter ordered next as she moved away. "Have the malp drone ready to fly through."

Teyla didn't listen to anymore, for she followed Lieutenant Ford as he hurried after Colonel Sumner. As she reached the steps out of the Lantean Control Room, she noticed Si approaching her, checking over the stunner on his hip. She turned to block his path. "You should remain here," she told him quietly.

Si frowned, as she had expected he would. "You will be with unknown warriors on an unknown planet," he argued.

"It is hardly the first time," she reminded him. "I have fought with many of these people before; and one of us needs to remain here."

She knew that Si would understand and agree with the logic, for it was vital that one of them remain in Atlantis. If something were to happen to her on this mission, if this was a trap laid out by Kolya, then Si could continue the search for John. She needed him here to ensure that far more than she needed him at her side in the raid to come.

He frowned and pursed his lips, but she could see that he agreed with her conclusions, much of which went unsaid between them; they knew how each other thought and did not need to spell out the details to each other. She also understood that it was his desire to protect her and help her find John had made him want to stay at her side, not that he doubted her abilities.

She smiled up at her long and trusted friend. "I need you here," she stressed.

He nodded sharply. "Find Sheppard," he stated and turned away.

Teyla turned to leave, hearing the wormhole forming in the Portal Room below, and as Si headed back to the technicians pouring over the transmission analysis, she saw Dr McKay heading towards her. He appeared armed up and ready to leave with her and the others to find John. Despite his obvious lack of military experience and temperament, he was clearly determined to go with them to help save John.

She found herself smiling at the man before she turned and hurried out of the room with him.

She just had to hope that this Portal address was where John was being held, and, if so, that she could get to him before Pranos might try to kill him first.

00000

Oneakka frowned at the analysis running on the latest transmission sent from Atlantis. Two recordings now of Genii using a Wraith on Sheppard. It was not comfortable watching.

A small team had been assigned to analysing the transmissions, hoping to identify anything useful, but preferrably the original source Portal, but with clearly more than one Portal used, there was so much data for the team to filter through and isolate. It would not be an easy job.

Oneakka sat back from the unhelpful status.

"This is very suspicious timing," Halling noted from the next seat

Oneakka nodded.

The excommunicated Genii Commander had taken Sheppard just when the Elite had their hands tied with the current alert.

"Kolya had to know we would be limited in our assistance," Halling echoed Oneakka's own thoughts.

"Except he couldn't have predicted this was going to happen," Oneakka considered. "He clearly has planned this through."

"So, a helpful coincidence for him?"

"Sheppard was taken from a routine planetary visit apparently," Oneakka noted from the comments sent from Si in Atlantis and added to by the most recent intel in via Sheppard's Athosian Honour Guard. "Kolya probably has people watching known Atlantis allied planets, and Sheppard just happened to be there. Si says Sheppard's assignment on the mission was only decided the day before."

"Which means then," Halling considered, "Kolya has protected himself from us in other ways."

Oneakka nodded. "This Portal transmission data is mucked up."

"He relayed it through at least two Portals," Halling tapped on a screen. "Our only hope is that so much noise in the back of the transmission means that there will be something useful among it."

That was true at least. The problem was the time it would take. Even with the best working on it and dedicated computers analysing it all, it would take time on the best of days. Sheppard didn't have time on his side.

The Earthman had looked strong in the two recordings, despite what had been done to him, but a human could only survive so much feeding before they wouldn't be able to come back from it. Oneakka had seen people saved partway through a Wraith feeding on them, only for the effects of the feeding to kill them later anyway. Using a Wraith on a hostage was a risky move, except if Sheppard wasn't really a hostage but the feeding was simply a slow and dramatic way of killing him.

"He's never going to let Sheppard go," Oneakka concluded the hateful truth. "He can't risk it, and we know he's tried to assassinate Sheppard before now."

"We have enough evidence that it's Kolya," Halling considered. "Maybe threatening to release that evidence publically might persuade Kolya to let Sheppard go?"

Oneakka considered that. "Kolya's not appeared in any of the recordings, and analysis shows Sheppard doesn't look off to someone out of shot, so Kolya might not even be there. If I were him, I'd be in an entirely different hideout, so if Sheppard is rescued, he can still claim he had nothing to do with it."

"And his followers are so loyal, they'll say they did it _for_ him rather than on his orders," Halling nodded. "It is a ridiculously bold plan."

Oneakka had to agree with that. "We'll make him pay for it."

The problem was finding the man. If Kolya wasn't in the same location as Sheppard, what were the chances of hunting him down outside the Alliance? The Elite had some contacts out beyond the border, but none had so far had any intel on Kolya and his small band of excommunicated soldiers. It was such a vast area of space in which he could be hiding, how were they going to narrow it down?

"If he thinks he's safe from us outside our territory, he's mistaken," Oneakka promised.

"It's a big galaxy," Halling muttered echoing Oneakka's worries.

Oneakka turned from the screen and stretched his neck one way and then the other, working out some kinks. He looked out across the Incident Room, seeing the many tired faces at the consoles and tables. Most of the military assessment staff had headed to the nearest canteen for food, and the rest assigned to the Incident Room were on a rolling rotation to eat or sleep as needed until the next appearance of the Hive.

Halling was right – the galaxy was too big; they couldn't even find one Hive that might be sneaking around their own carefully watched territory.

All around the room, he saw the signs of flagging focus and motivation. It had been too many hours since the Hive had last appeared, and without any idea where it might be now or where it will attack next, there was nothing to do but wait.

Oneakka hated waiting. He'd been waiting too damn much of late. Waiting for the threat to Halling to show itself, waiting for the Sythus to be fully repaired, and now waiting for this damn Hive to show itself.

Without any target to focus on, he couldn't do anything useful. He couldn't even help anymore with the hunt for Sheppard. Though, getting to threaten Cowen of the Genii had been fun. He should have dragged it out longer. He'd kept his comments forceful and to the point and Cowen had barely said anything during the 'conversation' other than to say he was working on supplying Atlantis with possible locations of Kolya. Oneakka had ended with the promise that, if Cowen turned out to be implicated in anyway, or if he attempted to delay the investigation by the Elite or Atlantis any further, then Oneakka would visit Cowen personally.

Some days it really helped to be seen as a violent animal of a warrior.

But it didn't help with a disappearing Hive ship!

Stupidly cowardly Wraith.

He glanced off towards the brainy corner of the Incident Room, spotting Seeal stood with a few of the scientists. She was already looking his way though, and, from the quick tilt of her head, he understood that she wanted him to head up to that end of the room. Had she found something?

He got up from his seat without comment and headed down the large room towards her.

She moved away from the scientists, which probably meant that they hadn't found anything useful yet. Instead, Seeal had her arms crossed and was frowning; so she had something to say. When didn't she?

"What?" He asked once he was close enough for her to hear him, at which point he realised that Halling was barely a pace behind him.

Seeal moved to meet them. As he stopped in front of her, she pointed towards the brainy corner. "These people are _scary_ clever," she stated.

"Obviously," he returned. "That's why they're here."

"I mean they are each on a _genius_ level of intelligence," she felt it necessary to explain further. "If even one of these turned evil, you need to watch out."

He had to smile at that assessment; she always looked at things from a security perspective.

"We'll keep an eye on them," he told her. The Elite didn't employ anyone they didn't fully trust. Except maybe her – some Elite had expressed concerns, but had still agreed to her being employed by them. She'd proven herself repeatedly in his books and the majority of his fellow Elite agreed.

"Well, even with these smarts, they're floundering now," she reported, which seemed the common theme in the room. "Without the actual Hive, they have nothing but guesswork left."

"Their latest report suggested they might have a jamming frequency," Halling put in from Oneakka's right.

"Possibly," Seeal conceded. "But, there's no guarantee it'll work until it's actually tested, and no one knows where this Hive is going to pop up next."

"What about the slug robot angle?" Oneakka asked.

"There's definite similarities," she replied. "A few more than I originally spotted. Our best guess is that they're from the same source of tech as both the Seed Ship and this new tech. The working theory is that it's some old style form of Wraith tech that they've dug up to try and use against the Alliance; maybe started by that group of Queens in the former Nest System since we found the Seed Ship and the slug robots so close by."

"Or it was a rival Hive trying out the tech on the Nest Queens' ships," Oneakka gave his idea of the theory. "Since we know one of their Hives was gutted by the Seed Ship and exploded on return to the Nest System."

"Or," Seeal added, "there's my favourite theory, that they stole the tech from another group and are trying to patch it into their systems. Maybe the drive is out of a Seed Ship, since we know they jumped location without a standard drive."

"And how does this help us with the current crisis?" Halling asked, that irritated tone having returned. It definitely appeared more around Seeal.

"It doesn't right now," Seeal replied honestly.

"So, it was a waste of time?" Halling said curtly.

"The information might be helpful later somehow," Seeal countered the defeatist talk. "It would explain why the Wraith are using tech that seems to damage their own systems, because it's not theirs, or because it's just plain risky tech they haven't gotten working right yet."

So, basically, more waiting was required.

Oneakka looked off to the left where the large front screen now showed a map of Alliance territory, three bright dots showing where the Hive had appeared so far. Other than the fact that all three were in the same half of the massive territory, it wasn't all that helpful.

"We need to work out how the Hive is picking its targets," he muttered.

"We have plenty of theories, but all the analysis we've done is unhelpful until the Hive appears and we can find out which theory is right," Halling replied.

"Three points are too small a group to accurately predict the next appearance," Silvar's voice arrived from the right, likely having noticed Seeal talking with them.

"We have all the wealth of experience to suggest that one of the predicted attack points is right," Halling said, sounding definitely tired and a little grumpy now. "We need the Hive to show itself again."

Oneakka looked back round at Seeal and wondered if maybe she should be assigned to look at the Portal data from Atlantis. She probably knew more planets outside Alliance territory than they did and was good at picking out patterns in data, and since she wasn't able to help any further here... A thought occurred to him.

"If you saw these attack points," he told her as he gestured towards the big screen, "and you were after a criminal responsible, how would you predict where he'd reappear?"

Seeal looked faintly surprised at the question, and then switched her eyes to the display. "I'd start with a different set of questions. Like where is he now?"

"Theoretically the Hive could be anywhere in the known galaxy, so that's not helpful," Halling replied to her.

"Looking for a criminal is about understanding his, or her, _reasons_ for doing something and how that impacts their behaviour," Seeal continued.

"Wraith cull and breed fear," Halling supplied.

"Well something else is going on here, because if they really prioritised culling," Seeal replied to him, "they would have done a better job on Atreus."

"Atreus was a test of our capabilities and response to attack," Oneakka told her.

"Or was it that you simply overwhelmed the Hive? Maybe the Hive's new tech is unstable and they couldn't risk staying around," Seeal replied.

"As we have debated, the radiation emitted is highly unstable and it is likely that the field it creates is just as unstable," Silvar put in.

"So my question is, _why_ use it in the first place? What is their motivation?" Seeal asked. "It's highly unstable, the radiation is likely to actually damage the Hive itself, and they use it to jump into our territory and risk being destroyed or the tech captured? Something doesn't make sense here."

"Even if that is true, how are we supposed to find out?" Halling asked, sounding more interested in her questions now.

"It means that the Wraith on this Hive are not behaving as they usually do," Seeal replied. "So, using your usual models to predict where they'll turn up might not work here."

"If they turn up again at all," Maja said, stepping forward. Oneakka hadn't noticed her arrive, but then she'd been keeping an obvious watch over Seeal in the Incident Room. "Maybe the jumps we saw are the only tests they'll do and they have enough data to refine their new, or stolen, tech."

That was a worrying thought; and unhelpful to them.

"Even if they reappear soon," Seeal added, "they'll likely do the same as before and turn tail and-" She stopped talking and Oneakka snapped his eyes to her. That confused frown was back.

"What?" He asked.

"They turned," she seemed to ponder out loud before she looked at Silvar next to her. "When they left both times, they turned around and then activated their new tech."

Silvar nodded.

"Why turn?" Seeal asked.

"If it is a new drive, then they opened something like a hyperspace window and when through it," Silvar explained.

Oneakka frowned at that, realising Seeal's point and was instantly annoyed that he hadn't noticed that fact sooner.

"You don't need to turn around to open a hyperspace window," Seeal voiced the realisation. "Just open one ahead of the ship. So why turn around?"

"Hyperspace windows open easier in the same location as one previously," Silvar supplied a fact Oneakka hadn't known. "The tear in the fabric of spacetime is a weak point and seems to open more easily for a short while afterwards until equilibrium of the field returns."

"But it's not necessary to do so," Seeal argued. "No, instead they arrived, then to leave they turned around and went back to the point they arrived at. Like coming in through a door and then having to turn around and go back through the same door to leave."

"It is likely then that the drive they are using needs the weak point in the field to jump," Silvar concluded, not sounding at all like this was important news.

Seeal, however, still had that frowning confused look. Oneakka kept his eyes on her, as this usually meant she was working an idea through.

She moved past him, walking towards the large screen and the three widely separated points of attack by the Hive. "Why did they jump to the Negese System?" She asked. "There's nothing there."

"Our theory is that there used to be life on one of the planets," Silvar supplied. "Perhaps when that Hive had last been in that area, long ago, that planet had Human life that have all since gone."

"If it's very old tech, could it be that its navigation system is off by thousands of years?" Halling asked Silvar.

"Yes, we have considered that," Silvar confirmed immediately. "The stars and planets will be in slightly different relative positions."

"The stellar map would be different, so what we thought was clever testing of the Atreus defence system by arriving just beyond the planet," Halling followed the logic, "could actually have been a mistake that allowed the planetary defence to warn the populace and dial out the Portal in time before the culling started."

"But why those three so disparate points?" Seeal asked. "Why take out Amduat but then not take over that territory, or send in an attack from there? She turned back to the three points. " _Or_ , what if they don't know where they're going?"

Oneakka frowned at that idea.

"That seems unlikely," Maja put in doubtfully.

"If they have to turn around to run away," Seeal continued to herself, "then..." She turned back towards them. "What if their arrival points are fixed somehow. A doorway that they move through and then have to leave by again. Maybe they're opening doors randomly and don't know where they'll end up?"

"You are suggesting that they picked three random places and they happened to just arrive over Atreus and at Amduat?" Halling asked, clearly not taken with the theory.

"We don't know what's going on outside Alliance territory," Seeal replied. "They could have been jumping to random places out there and we wouldn't know about it. Or maybe they don't have a proper map of the doorways."

"You are suggesting that there is some sort of phenomena that opens an entranceway in various fixed places in our territory and their new tech is the key that opens them?" Silvar asked, but Oneakka could hear the intellectual curiosity in his voice. "Like a wormhole but without a Portal to hold it?"

"Not a wormhole," Seeal shook her head. "I don't know what it is, but why turn around in the two cases we have their departure recorded? Maybe there are fixed points where this new drive works."

Oneakka looked away to the map again, an idea forming.

"If this theory is correct, then there would be corresponding similar features of the fixed jump points," Silvar said. "We have not found anything similar between the three known areas of the Hive's arrival."

"What if the doorways are waiting in subspace?" Heka's voice arrived, having joined the conversation. "If there is a concealed doorway in a wall, you only know it is there when you have seen it open."

"The radiation may still be concealing the common factors now revealed," Silvar replied to her, sounding like he liked the theory now.

"If we can work out some common aspects, perhaps that might help us find further fixed points, if they exist," Heka considered.

Oneakka turned back from the map. "If this is old tech they've found, then the fixed jump points are old as well. Which means we need to find one we know has been opened in the past."

Seeal looked at him with understanding. "Then we may already know a fourth place – where we found the Seed Ship and picked up its slug robots."

Oneakka nodded. "There was an old abandoned Wraith base on a moon there, above which was where the Seed Ship first appeared out of nowhere; maybe through one of your doorways."

"A possible fixed point to scan," Seeal smiled eagerly.

"Could the old base be where they found the tech?" Maja considered.

"A Wraith ship was crashed into it," Halling recalled. "Maybe to destroy any further tech being taken from it?"

Oneakka nodded.

Maja lifted up her pad and tapped away on it. "It was the Arkinian system and a research team have been working on the moon in question since. They have been salvaging pieces of the crashed Wraith Cruiser, but have found nothing yet of the base formally beneath it. Their conclusions so far suggest the base was very successfully destroyed by the Cruiser."

Oneakka remembered the downed Cruiser well enough. "Have they found anything else of interest on the moon?" He asked Maja.

"The team were recalled when the high alert was issued," Maja reported. "There's no one there to check with, but I have their reports." She frowned at her screen, no doubt speed reading report contents. "Apparently there is some life on the moon after all. Water caverns under the base and stretching further afield. There's enough atmosphere for the team, they've been camping down there."

"Why didn't we hear about this?" Halling asked, stepping closer to Maja to look at the readings.

"They predict that it's a residual pocket of basic life holding on from when the moon went through climatic changes hostile to life on the surface," Maja replied, quickly summarising what she was reading. "In the caverns there's only trees, plants, and a small insect that pollinates the flowers. Nothing more advanced than a fish."

"No sign of any Wraith?" Oneakka checked.

"Not besides those on the Cruiser that died on impact with the base," Maja replied.

"It's the only other place we know that this type of tech has been used, so we need to scan the area of space above the former base," Seeal said, clearly having decided on the next course of action. "If that's where they found the tech, then maybe there's something in the caverns as a hint about it? Maybe an even older base survived deep underground?"

"If there was anything like that, the research team would probably have found it by now," Silvar suggested, almost apologetically to Seeal. "Our sensor systems are good at detecting Wraith tech on a planet."

"Even when there's a big distracting crashed Wraith Cruiser on the surface?" Seeal challenged.

"That would alter the readings," Heka agreed with Seeal's argument. "And the research team have only been there a few weeks."

"It's the only lead we have right now," Seeal pointed out.

"It's worth checking it out," Oneakka agreed, looking to Halling.

"The only problem is how far out the Arkinian system is," Maja said. "There's no Portal in that system and, as it is uninhabited, we have no ships there. The closest would be the Fleet which are engaging the Cruisers, but we cannot risk pulling a ship from there just to scan some caverns."

"Any chance the Sythus is space-worthy yet?" Oneakka asked hopefully.

Halling shook his head. "It's weeks away from being ready," Halling gave the depressing answer.

"You could use a couple of Portal-able fighters to go through to the most local Portal," Maja suggested, "but their engines are not the most powerful over large distances. It is likely to take a long time to get into the Arkinian system and then they are very vulnerable ships to be stuck in if you come under attack. The raiding Cruisers out from the former Nest System could strike there."

There was one possible ship to use though.

Oneakka looked to Halling. "Unless we use a ship that is free, has good defences, and can get there a lot faster from the closest Portal."

Halling raised one eyebrow.

"Is Inifee still on the Sythus during the repairs?" Oneakka checked.

Maja tapped away on another screen. "He is still registered as on the Sythus."

"We've got the Sythus' transport craft on standby if they are attacked locally by the Hive; Inifee is Lead Pilot on Transport One detail," Halling supplied.

"Get him here now," Oneakka instructed and Maja immediately headed away to the closest links console.

Halling moved up to Oneakka and they turned away from everyone else. "We can't take _that_ ship," Halling said quietly.

"Why not?" Oneakka asked. "This is an emergency, and what better ship to have than one that can turn invisible?"

"Invisible?" Seeal suddenly appeared at Oneakka's left elbow, having overheard. "You have a ship with a cloaking shield?"

Halling glanced at Seeal with no small amount of irritation, and, surprisingly, she stepped back out of view. "They're the most valuable craft we have in the entire Alliance," Halling continued more quietly.

"So we let the one here just sit barely used when it is exactly what we need? It's the best way to get into the Arkinian system and back without the chance of being detected and, if attacked, the Ancestor ship is fully weaponized," Oneakka argued.

The three working Ancestor ships that the Elite had were a highly guarded secret. One was kept permanently here for emergency use only by the Facility, while the other two were kept hidden on the Mad Moon, ready for deployment but also being studied and, hopefully one day, replicated by the scientists there. Quite a few of Elite tech developments in recent years had come from studying the ships, which had been discovered in an abandoned Ancestor site that none outside of the Elite knew about.

Use of the Ancestor ships was highly restricted, but, an Alliance wide alert and potential Wraith invasion certainly qualified as an emergency in Oneakka's mind.

Halling sighed.

"Every other ship is busy protecting planets and stations," Oneakka continued. "Inifee is experienced at flying them and it's not like it's the only one. Besides, our one needs a run."

"It's not the goat needing a regular walk," Halling argued, but Oneakka could see his friend was convinced. "I suppose it is the best chance of us getting to Arkinian quickly and back considering the circumstances."

"Getting Inifee and _me_ there; you're staying here," Oneakka corrected him.

"I'm _not_ staying here, Oneakka," Halling argued.

"It's too dangerous," Oneakka pushed. He was not about to take Halling into a more dangerous situation; he'd spent the last weeks desperately trying to persuade Halling to get to this Facility to be safer.

"We are up against the _Wraith_ , Oneakka," Halling said back with annoying logic. "They are a _known_ enemy; this is not what Sitayi predicted. I am the only other able-bodied Elite available here."

Oneakka pursed his lips, annoyed that Halling was probably right. He'd prefer it if Halling just stayed here, but, truthfully, it didn't make sense to go by himself without more backup. At least he'd have Halling with him so could keep an eye on him. Because the unknown enemy could just as easily appear here while Oneakka was away, leaving Halling unguarded.

"Alright," he agreed and turned back round, only to find Seeal stood in his way.

"I should go with you," she stated forcefully, her hands on her hips.

They probably should take someone who actually knew what technical readings they were looking for, and she was, as she had said earlier, something of an expert on the Seed Ship and slug robot data. Plus, she was a capable fighter which made her far more useful than taking one of the other scientists. Plus, she could help him keep watch over Halling, just in case.

"Fine," he agreed, glancing to where Maja was still talking at a links console. How quickly would it take for Inifee to get here and get the Ancestor ship ready to depart?

"But, I know more about what you're looking for than you two," Seeal argued unnecessarily.

"I already said yes," Oneakka pointed out.

"Oh," Seeal closed her mouth. No doubt the silence wouldn't last long.

Maja was approaching from the right. "Inifee is on his way through the Portal now."

"Good, inform Aedii where we're going," he told Maja and she nodded. "Let's gear up," he stated to Halling and Seeal as he turned and led the way swiftly down the Incident Room for the exit out.

Finally he had somewhere to go.

No more waiting around and being useless.

000000  
TBC


	26. The Diversion

**Warning Reminder and Confession** **:** Happy belated 2019 everyone – where has January gone?! As we are in a new year and, coincidentally, this fic now enters into its final act, I feel I should mention an important fact. As some may recall, I put a warning on this story that there will be a death of an established character in this particular fic; however, I feel I should now confess that, by the end of this fic, there will in fact be more than one death in this story (and they are well established characters, not Red Shirt No.3 on the deck of a ship). With that juicy note (no shouting please) may I present the next chapter...

00000

 **Chapter 26 – The Diversion**

Mind Song's body sang with life from the feeding.

It glowed through his body, filling every formerly dark place with new life once again. It felt like sunshine shining across a warmed hull, filling him with the blissful liberation from the brink of starvation.

As he walked back into his confinement, he was able to do so unaided and standing fully upright once more. As the prison door clanged shut behind him, he stretched out his once more supple and warmed arms. Even the restriction of the shackle locked around his right arm could not diminish the refreshing swell of recovery. It had not been quite enough to fully repair his cells and it would not entirely hold, but the second feeding had provided him far more than he had been expecting. For it was clear to him now that Sheppard was no ordinary Human.

Mind Song had suspected it during the first feeding, but he had been so near death himself that he had barely registered the slim wealth he had taken during so short a first feeding. However, the second feeding had confirmed his suspicions. Sheppard had Lantean blood flowing through his veins.

Mind Song had fed on plenty of the Lanteans' offspring before, but it had been many long millennia since he had tasted the strength of Lantean blood that Sheppard held.

Interesting.

Mind Song glanced to the left, hearing Sheppard's pained groans from the other cell.

Were all those in the Lantean city like Sheppard? Was all of Sheppard's home galaxy filled with descendents of the ancient race?

Or was Sheppard unusual, perhaps a leader of his prey group due to his Lantean blood?

Mind Song moved towards the small open space between his prison and Sheppard's and considered the Human still knelt on the floor, sounding as if he was cursing under his breath. Sheppard was weakened by the feeding, but he was still able to hold his body upright. He was strong, very strong.

Did all of his people taste of such strength?

Or was Sheppard indeed special? The prey leader's anticipation of Sheppard's capture had implied a personal grievance, and all that Mind Song had overheard confirmed as much, but clearly Sheppard was not a simple prey animal.

Though that fact did not save him from the effects of the feeding.

Regardless of his innate strength, Sheppard's loud breaths and muttering spoke of his weakening body. Mind Song wondered if the Human's mind would weaken the same way. Did Sheppard share the Lantean's strong mind as he did their blood?

"Where are your people?" Mind Song asked him.

"They'll be here," Sheppard groaned his reply as he straightened his back, the defiance Mind Song had seen in the other room still apparent. All Humans captured by the prey leader started defiant, but all swiftly turned into begging, fearful crying animals by their end. Though, Mind Song could not recall many who had still been able to hold their heads up high after a second feeding.

"You still believe they will come for you?" Mind Song asked, curious at the blind faith and denial of the reality around them.

"Yeah, I do," Sheppard responded as he dragged himself the few feet to the wall below the bars. That put most of Sheppard out of Mind Song's view, but he could still see the Human's boots and hear the slightly laboured breathing.

He seemed to truly believe he would be rescued.

Mind Song recalled the voices of Sheppard's kind speaking with the prey Pranos. It appeared that Atlantis was led by a female, and, as the Human Queen, she had spoken with determination to retrieve Sheppard. Faith in one's Queen was always vital; not that Mind Song had had a Queen of his own to follow in a long time.

The warm glow of the feeding faded a little with that stark reminder of his current situation.

"No one has ever escaped these prisons alive," Mind Song informed Sheppard, and, perhaps, himself as well.

Sheppard would not survive, and surely neither would he. The resulting depression crept over Mind Song with a new chill that crushed the former warmth away.

"Well, _I'm_ going to get out of here," Sheppard insisted from the floor out of view. "I have powerful friends looking for me."

How many times had Mind Song heard similar from other captives? Whether Wraith or Humans, all those who had been brought into this captivity had only left as a corpse. Their bodies dragged away. Sheppard would learn that truth all too soon.

"Even if they find this place," Mind Song explained, "these Humans will kill you long before your people reach these cells. Their leader has made his intentions for you very clear."

"Kolya," Sheppard spat the name out with clear hatred that spoke of significant history.

"Yes," Mind Song confirmed.

Best that Sheppard accept his fate, as Mind Song had done long ago.

This was never a fate he had expected for himself – to die cold and deep underground, starved to death and a plaything of Human prey. So long he had lived, much had he seen, that it felt a special type of torture to die in this place.

Able to consider and plan far more effectively than most, Mind Song had been fortunate to work at his first Queen's side in the war against the ancient Lanteans. Those had been glory days of vast territory, challenging battles, and overflowing prey to feed upon.

And now, here he was kept in a hole, hidden and starved. To have lived so long only to rot away at the hands of prey...he had failed his first long dead Queen.

And he disgusted himself.

Movement from the next cell drew his attention back to Sheppard.

"How well do you know the layout of this place?" The Human asked.

Mind Song shook his head at the question. "All of these places are similar enough," he replied honestly, "so I know well enough what your people would be up against."

A scraping rasp and a groan followed and Mind Song watched as Sheppard lifted himself up into view, two aged Human hands resting on the ledge between their cells. Sheppard looked directly at him through the bars, right in the eye as very few Humans would dare.

"What about us?" Sheppard asked.

Mind Song frowned at the question. Was he suggesting...?

"Do you know this place well enough for _us_ to get out?" Sheppard asked. Blind hope shone out of his foolish prey animal eyes.

"You and me?" Mind Song asked, amused despite himself.

"Why not?" Sheppard insisted. "You think they're going to just let you go after I'm dead? And if my people do turn up and all they find is you in these cells, what do you think they'll do to you?"

Mind Song growled at the worrying outcomes Sheppard voiced.

"What have you got to lose?" Sheppard ignorantly pushed.

"My life!" Mind Song stated the seemingly obvious.

The Human scoffed at that. "Yeah, some life you got here."

Mind Song growled more forcefully this time at the belittling behaviour from the prey.

"Listen," Sheppard continued, "it makes sense. We have a common goal."

Mind Song looked away from the foolish optimism. It was blind and irrational thinking. A Human and a Wraith working together was foolish enough, but to try to escape this place...

Mind Song had nothing here, but it was, at least, still life. If he attempted escape, he knew without doubt that the prey leader, Kolya, would have him killed instantly. Though that had presented as a possible option before, now that he once again recalled what it felt like to be strong, to feel life flowing through him...

He turned away from Sheppard. "As I said before, there is no escape."

00000

Everything felt wrong to Teyla.

The planet from the Genii contact's list was a strange one. It was the dead of night when she had followed three of Atlantis' mission teams through the wormhole and stepped out into the wide open flattened space around the planet's Portal. Clearly the area was well prepared for carts and perhaps a large number of people to use the Portal, but there had been no one standing guard over it. The only hints of life nearby had been small life-signs that her sensor pad had detected moving through the surrounding woodland, which had turned out to be hog beast-like creatures that had been snuffling through the leaf litter.

If this was truly the planet where Kolya was holding John, surely he would have someone watching the Portal; a lookout to warn if she and those from Atlantis found Kolya's holdout. But there was nothing. Atlantis' cloaked Ancestral ship watching from overhead had not detected any ships in orbit either, or any Human life-signs within the hour long trek to the local town that was their target. Clearly the Genii contact's definition of the town being 'close' to the Portal needed some reconsideration. Fortunately, the Ancestral craft had easily cut down the time, delivering them into an open field just outside the limits of the 'close-by' town.

Except, everything felt wrong about the town too. Even though it was clearly right in the depths of night-time on this planet, most worlds in Wraith-held space, or even within the Alliance, had some watch system; sentries stationed around a settlement to keep an eye on the skies above to provide early warnings of an imminent culling. Except here, there were none outside of a small group sat around a fire close to where the single road from the Portal reached the town. If that small group were supposed to be guards, they were clearly not doing their job correctly considering her group of fifteen had easily snuck into the town unseen.

Would Kolya truly keep John in a town so poorly watched by distracted local guards?

Once inside the town, the target abandoned section of the settlement had been reasonably easy to locate, not just from the instructions on the Genii contact's list, but due to another reason that had become swiftly apparent. The strong odorous smell of the river along which the abandoned section ran was surely the reason for the vacant buildings.

A tributary of the local river, as reported by the cloaked craft overhead, it was clearly used for the disposal of the town's effluent. The smell was foul and Dr McKay had nearly vomited as they had reached the river's edge. Long docks lined the near side of the disgustingly foamed waters, and the wooden planks creaked underfoot as she followed John's people along the line of warehouses overlooking the water.

The building that was listed as Kolya's 'factory' was only a few buildings down, and stood dark with the exception of a lone electric light glowing above a peeling orange painted doorway.

Colonel Sumner waved his hand through a series of silent gestures to his warriors and they all pressed shoulders to the factory's outer wall and held their weapons ready. Teyla followed their lead, practically at the back of the line behind Lieutenant Cadman, with only Dr McKay and Lieutenant Ford behind her.

Working to ignore the stench in the air, she lifted her sensor pad. It only provided her with more worries.

There was only one single life-sign inside the factory and none but those from Atlantis outside the building. Which meant that there were no guards watching over Kolya's factory.

It was faintly possible that there was a concealed bunker beneath the building, but there was no hint of any power inside the factory except the low level glow of electric light fixtures. Surely even a deep bunker would need to draw power from somewhere and that should register on her sensor pad, or most definitely on the Ancestor craft's scanners.

She looked ahead over the shoulders of John's people to the light faintly glowing over the factory's entrance. The light bulb flickered slightly, the power supply fluctuating with an unsteady rhythm. The local power distribution of the town registered as a very low and unsteady supply on her sensor pad, which only added to her confusion of Kolya's choice of this place.

If Kolya had no guards watching the factory, surely he would use some form of electronic surveillance system instead. There was plenty of cheap Alliance tech that he could have smuggled out to use here, even with the weak unsteady local electric supply. Yet, again, there was nothing registering on her pad. The factory was a dark, uninteresting, and easily forgettable building. If she had not been told it was, supposedly, used by Kolya, there was nothing about this building that would catch her attention.

But, perhaps that was the point. The lack of anything interesting meant it drew no attention, and the psychological cover provided by the stink of the polluted river kept wandering people away. It was either the very best of hiding places...or it was the wrong place.

Lieutenant Cadman shifted slightly to look round at Teyla. "We're about to breach the door," she whispered, the information no doubt delivered through the radio link in her ear.

Teyla nodded, appreciating the report.

"Once we're inside, our people will fan out, covering all directions," the woman continued. "The Colonel would like you to remain near the back." The shift of the female's expression supplied far more subtext though; the Colonel's request via Lieutenant Cadman's radio link had been an order not a request.

"Guns before swords," Teyla replied as she nodded, her gaze shifting ahead to where she could see part of the Colonel's shoulder at the front of the line of warriors. She would choose to believe that the Colonel's order was designed to protect his own warriors from her blades, but perhaps also to protect her from one of their stray bullets. Or it was also possible that he was asserting his dominance by keeping her back, keeping the mission run by his people alone? Teyla did not really care; she only cared about them finding John as quickly as possible.

She glanced down at the sensor pad again, checking the life-readings again. "Tell your Colonel that I am reading only one life-sign inside still," she whispered to Lieutenant Cadman, who nodded but said nothing further, which meant that the one life-sign was already registered and known by John's people. However, they could not know one extra piece of vital information.

"Also tell him," Teyla added quietly as she held the woman's gaze, "that I sense no Wraith inside."

Lieutenant Cadman's face shifted in the dim flickering light of the lone bulb and she nodded, understanding the significance. The chances were reducing rapidly that this was the right place, but there was still a possibility that there was a bunker deep underground, or was perhaps further away and only accessed by tunnels from inside the factory.

"Colonel Sumner," Lieutenant Cadman said quietly in to the air, one hand to her ear piece. "Elite Emmagan reports one life-sign inside and no Wraith presence detected."

Teyla glanced back over her shoulder, only to find Dr McKay leaning closer to her than she had sensed, almost as if he were seeking cover behind her. Behind the Doctor, Lieutenant Ford had most of his attention directed behind them, watching quietly and efficiently for any that might be sneaking up from behind. The young man glanced round, his features tense and concerned. Perhaps he had similar doubts as her.

She looked away from the worried youth, and looked out across the sickly water beyond the edge of the dock. The water's surface moved unnaturally with its thick pollution and, in the distance, all she could hear was the faint night-time calling of tiny insects on the far bank of the water.

Nothing felt right here. Or perhaps it was simply because she was far outside the reach of the Alliance. There was no Elite or Enforcement backup here to help her find John. If the Wraith appeared overhead, she would have only fifteen from Atlantis to help her. Though she did not doubt their capabilities, the faint chance of a culling interrupting her search for John filled her with a faint sense of panic.

She lifted her arm and consulted the Earth timepiece around her wrist. It had been over an hour since John had last been fed upon. If this was not the right place...

Another feeding could kill him, or even if it did not, the chances of him living for longer afterwards were significantly diminished.

He might already have succumbed to the effects of the feeding.

No, she could not think that. She had to believe that they would find him in time. That he would be saved.

She _had_ to save John.

She could not fail him.

"Colonel Sumner thanks you for the information," Lieutenant Cadman's quiet report crashed through Teyla's fearful thoughts.

Teyla nodded to her, forcing back the panic and the brewing frustration.

She looked past the Lieutenant and saw Colonel Sumner lift his hand, his fingers held straight. He held down one finger and then another. Beyond him, another Earth solider stood flattened on the far side of the orange doorway.

The Colonel's fingers reduced to one and he pointed to the door.

The other soldier smashed his fist into a small window in the door and then threw in something – a grenade of some sort presumably. Teyla pulled her eyes away and, sure enough, a loud burst and a bright flash of light lit up the reeking dock.

Then from stillness and silence came sudden definitive action. John's people rushed into the building, filing in quickly and orderly, while she followed, feeling fruitlessly unhelpful at the back of the action. But, quickly enough, the orange door was ahead, and, with Lieutenant Cadman just in front of her, Teyla clutched her stunner tightly and pushed through the wispy dancing smoke from the Earth grenade and stepped into Kolya's factory.

The air struck her immediately as being stale and empty, and her first sight of the inside of the building suggested the same. Dust lay over tall stacks of wooden crates arranged to allow long corridors of space through them, down which John's people were hurrying in several directions, guns raised and eyes sharp.

Teyla lifted her sensor pad in her left hand, comparing the direction of the single life-sign to corridors available to her, but it was unnecessary as she heard blasting stunner fire from far ahead and shouting. Fortunately, Colonel Sumner had brought a selection of Wraith stunners for his people, hoping to bring down any Genii they encountered so that they would be alive for questioning afterwards.

"Stop!" Colonel Sumner's voice echoed down the crated hallways and Teyla ran towards the sound.

Someone might have shouted her name, no doubt to stop her from breaching their protocols, but she ignored the order and continued forward, pushing past far more cautious warriors.

"This way, Sir!" Echoed from the near distance and she found a turning to the left.

"Stop!" Someone repeated somewhere ahead and Teyla lifted her pad to see the various life-signs ahead of her in the maze of crates, but there was no way to know which were from Atlantis and which might be Genii now they were grouped too closely.

"Got him, Sir!"

"Stay down!" Colonel Sumner's voice shouted from around the next corner and Teyla darted around it to see a man lying on the dark floor, Colonel Sumner and two others stood over him, weapons pointed down at their captive.

Teyla slowed her approach, the factory's single life-sign having easily been captured. A life-sign that wore a Genii uniform.

"Where is Major Sheppard?" Colonel Sumner demanded of his prisoner.

The Genii male lifted both his hands up, palms to the ceiling as he panted. "I'm just the caretaker," he replied.

"Where is Kolya?" Sumner demanded.

"He's not here," the Genii replied, his words steady despite the stressful situation; a well trained Genii solider. "He's not been here for months."

As Teyla approached the interrogation, she noticed that the caretaker was far more mature in years than she would expect. Why would Kolya leave one lone and aged solider to watch his bunker's entrance? Though he might leave one as a caretaker of an empty warehouse.

"Sir, there's no one else here," someone reported to Colonel Sumner.

"You're here all by yourself?" Colonel Sumner asked the caretaker doubtfully.

The Genii nodded. "There's another caretaker who works the day shift."

Teyla paused as the depression cast over her – this wasn't the right place. Glancing to both sides of her, she could see that all of the crates around her had a heavy layer of dust over them.

"Is there a bunker underneath this building?" the Colonel asked next of his captive.

"No," the caretaker replied. He very calm, his breathing back to normal despite the weapons pointed down at him. This might be the wrong place, but that didn't mean that this caretaker couldn't still be a useful source of information.

Ignoring the rest of the Colonel's questions, Teyla strode towards the Genii. As she did, she slid her stunner back into its holster and reached up to her shoulder. Her hand found the familiar welcoming hilt of the single sword she had been permitted to bring with her to Atlantis, and she drew out the blade. The weak factory light glinted off her weapon as she swung it round. She saw Colonel Sumer react, but Teyla simply focused down on the Genii lying all too comfortably on the floor. She stepped up to his legs and swung her sword's blade down and round to halt a bare inch from the Genii' throat.

"Where. Is. My. Husband?" She demanded through clenched teeth.

The faint scent of fresh urine filled the air.

The caretaker shook his head, the movement small and fast, his eyes practically crossed as he watched her sword above him. "I do...not...know...Honoured..." the caretaker stuttered. "He is not..."

Depressed frustration rose hot in her throat – this man was not one that Kolya would share vital information with; Genii were famous for their determination and stubbornness, but Kolya had always surrounded himself by the very strongest in body and also in mind. This man was truly panicked by her threat – he would not be one that Kolya would tell the intricate details of his dangerous plan. This was likely an older and loyal solider for Kolya, used to simply watch over this place and the supplies stored here.

She pulled her sword back from the Genii and he visibly sagged his body to the floor in relief, his hands faintly shaking.

"Is there a bunker under this building?" She repeated the Colonel's question.

"No," the Genii stuttered, his eyes fixed on her.

"There's nothing here, Sir," one of John's people reported to Colonel Sumner. "We've secured the building. There's nothing by crates and empty rooms."

"Could the bunker be shielded?" the Colonel asked.

"The Jumper would probably see through anything they might use," Lieutenant Cadman's voice drifted from behind Teyla's shoulder, but Teyla kept her eyes on the caretaker.

"When was Kolya last h-" She started to ask, but a sudden loud burst of Earth gunfire echoed from somewhere off in the distant left of the building.

Forgetting the unhelpful caretaker, Teyla ran towards the sound, darting around more crates, hearing others shouting questions. Had someone been found? Had a bunker entrance been revealed after all?

"Report!" Colonel Sumner shouted from behind Teyla as he followed her.

She took a left turn to see Lieutenant Ford approaching from the other end of the corridor, but his attention was off to the right. "What is it McKay?" Lieutenant Ford asked worriedly, his weapon held ready.

"It's nothing, nothing," Dr McKay answered immediately from off to the right.

Teyla slowed her steps as she, and several others from the other end of the corridor of crates, all reached a very sheepish looking Dr McKay.

"It was a mouse," Dr McKay reported, gesturing weakly with his large Earth gun towards a corner of stacked crates. Clearly there was no emergency; the man had shot at nothing out of fear.

Only a sudden buzz vibrated in her coat pocket and she realised that she had pushed her sensor pad into her pocket at some point during the raid.

"It was a rat really," Dr McKay explained as she hurriedly pulled out her sensor pad. "Probably rabid."

"Sir, I'm picking up a power reading," someone else reported just as Teyla looked at her own pad screen.

"It's building," she added as she watched the power reading growing on the screen.

"Are all frequencies still jammed?" Colonel Sumner shouted angrily.

"Yes, sir."

Teyla turned slightly, seeing the power climbing gradually, but her pad had a directional lock on it. "It's coming from over here."

A large pile of crates stood in front of her, several sporting some bullet holes from Dr McKay's attack on a mouse – not that she was entirely sure what a mouse was. The power reading rose sharply on the screen as she moved towards the crates. The reading was coming from either inside one of these crates or behind them. Perhaps Dr McKay had triggered something with his bullets?

"We need to move these," she stated to anyone willing to listen and immediately Lieutenant Ford stepped forward to help. As soon as she pulled at one crate it became immediately apparent that there was little or nothing in the box. Now she was noticing, there was no dust on any of them either – they had been added, or moved and cleaned recently.

"These are light, there's nothing in them," Lieutenant Ford reported and another set of hands reached it to help shift the boxes aside.

"The power is increasing, Colonel," someone echoed what Teyla was seeing on her pad.

"We reading anything explosive?" The Colonel asked.

A gap had been formed between the crates now and Teyla could make out red glowing lights shining out of the shadows of the revealed wall.

"There's something in the wall," Lieutenant Ford exclaimed as Teyla moved into the small gap between the crates, shoving hard on them to finally fully reveal an electronic panel fitting low into the wall.

She crouched down in front of it, her pad held in front of her.

It was very recognisable tech.

"What is it?" Colonel Sumner asked from behind Teyla.

"Its Alliance tech," she supplied. "It looks like a standard communication panel. It's definitely the source of the power and its still building."

"Like to explode?" Lieutenant Ford asked worriedly.

"They've linked it into the local power distribution," Dr McKay reported as he crouched down beside Teyla, his Ancestral scanner glowing close to her sensor pad as she reached in to tap the panel's controls. "They just cut a hole in the wall and shoved it in," he added disapprovingly.

As Teyla's fingers touched the power button on the control panel and the screen lit up.

"What is it?" Dr McKay asked her.

"It's a communication relay," she was able to confirm her initial assessment. "In Genii. I am not very fluent in the Genii written language, but this is a 'waiting' screen, presumably building up power for communications."

"Pulling power from the pathetic local supply," Dr McKay said quickly. "That's why it's taking so long to buffer."

"Turn it off," Colonel Sumner ordered sternly.

Teyla had to agree and she tapped the usual 'cancel' button on the control pad, but nothing happened. She tried again, with no results, so she tried the main power trigger button, which also didn't work. "It is not working," she told them. "I believe the relay is set in a command sequence and is waiting for the power to build up to al-"

The panel's small screen abruptly changed to show the standard 'transmitting' image used across the Alliance. At the same time, both her senor pad and Dr McKay's Ancestral pad both showed a sudden power spike and a new series of readings burst across both screens.

"It's sending out a signal," Dr McKay shouted.

"Wher- What?! What satellite?" Colonel Sumner demanded from behind.

Teyla looked up and over her shoulder to see the Colonel talking into the air, no doubt with the cloaked Ancestral ship. "There's a satellite in orbit?" She asked hurriedly.

"It's just powered up," Dr McKay was the one to supply her. "The signal from this probably triggered it."

The panel's screen altered again, Genii words flowing over it. Teyla frowned at the display and then at her pad. She shot upright and turned to Colonel Sumner. "Destroy the satellite. Now!"

"It's a weapon?" Lieutenant Cadman asked worriedly from beside Colonel.

"Disable the thing now!" Colonel Sumner ordered into his radio link.

"No, destroy it," Teyla corrected. "You must stop it transmitting out now. It's using a link frequency, it will relay the signal somewhere else on the planet or off-world. Most likely to Kolya."

That got his attention.

"Can you disable it?" Sumner asked into the air, turning slightly from her. "Take out its power if you can, otherwise kill it."

If Kolya knew they were here, what might he do to John out of retaliation?

Teyla dropped her attention back to her pad, the realisation of what she was seeing hitting her. The panel in front of her was sending out a very recognisable signal, which the satellite would simply be relaying elsewhere. It was a warning system to tell Kolya that his factory had been breached.

Colonel Sumner turned back to her.

"The satellite's gone," Colonel Sumner reported. "They clipped it with a drone but it exploded."

"Probably self-destructed. Kolya hiding his tracks," Dr McKay supplied from where he was still crouched in front of the communications panel. "This is losing power now."

"It'll have been designed to send the signal it wanted, which the satellite will have captured and transmitted on," Teyla supplied. "Did your ship detect if the satellite was able to broadcast out its signal?"

"Yes," Colonel Sumner replied. "It was short, but the thing got out a signal."

Another failure.

"Could they tell where the signal was directed?" She asked next.

"Out into space," the Colonel replied with a gruff sigh.

"Which means it is unlikely Major Sheppard is being held on this planet," Teyla concluded for him.

The Colonel looked around her though to Dr McKay. "Is there any chance there's still a bunker hidden under this place?"

"There's nothing," Dr McKay replied as he stood up from the panel.

"Could one be shielded?" Colonel Sumner pushed.

"What with?" Dr McKay argued back. "We're in barely industrial land; how would they hide an entire underground bunker from the Jumper's scanners?"

"What about lining it with lead?" Lieutenant Ford asked.

"What in case Superman drops by?" Dr McKay asked sarcastically, though Teyla did not understand the reference. "No, there's nothing here. We're in the wrong place and Kolya now probably knows. By the time we get back to Atlantis we'll have lost two hours on this."

He was right; this had been a waste. Though they had the caretaker to interrogate further, she doubted Kolya would have shared anything with the man. He would not risk leaving information out of his control. Still, they might be able to gain some information on Kolya's other hideouts from the caretaker.

And they had the communications panel. She looked round at it, to see that it had lost most of its power and the 'waiting' screen glowed faintly once more.

"At least you helped rid this place of rabid mice, McKay," Lieutenant Ford joked lightly, but she could hear the defeat in his voice.

Teyla frowned at the panel. Kolya's signal hadn't just been a basic radio signal, it had been an Alliance links signal. She should have realised that Kolya would use the Alliance tech outside of the territory. It was smart as well – set up his own distant little links network between planets where he had his secret bunkers and buildings like this one. Why hadn't she thought of it sooner?

She wondered if they could try and trace his links signals...an idea suddenly struck her. The strange and mixed up signals within the transmission into Atlantis from John's captives might represent some of Kolya's own links system. What if Kolya had used his link system to transmit part of that transmission? If they could track that frequency, that might help them unpick and identify what was in the transmission and possibly where Kolya had originally broadcast.

And the panel held the transmission frequencies Kolya was using for his links network.

She looked to Colonel Sumner. "I have an idea, but we need to take this panel with us," she stated.

00000

Seeal's eyes were starting to ache from all the reading. She had spent the whole last hour of travel sat reading through every scrap of detail on the radiation frequency analysis by the Elite's scary genius squad. The brain-squad had pulled apart the multiple aspects and layers of radiation frequencies and analysed it all to an obsessive level of theory and debate that made it clear that they had actually done too much thinking. There were too many possibilities to it all and only new readings of the radiation was going to help, or if this mission out to the Arkinian System turned up what she hoped it would.

If her theory about the 'doorways' was right, then hopefully she'd find some of these latent frequency patterns in orbit over the Arkinian moon where the new drive tech might have been used before. If they found something, then it would give the brain-squad something new and useful to help with their work, perhaps even a 'doorway' to experiment on. Plus, there was the slim possibility that the new tech might have come from the ancient Wraith base on the Arkinian moon, but, considering the devastation the crashed Wraith Cruiser had done to that base, Seeal had her doubts.

Though, apparently the Elite's research and salvage teams sent in to pick through that crash site had found some old water caverns under the surface of the moon and Oneakka and Halling were hoping there was something useful in there.

Seeal wasn't overly convinced, as the research teams had found nothing so far in the caverns except simple plant and fish life. Of course the research teams had been forced to abandon the site during the recent Alliance-wide high alert, which meant that there could still be something useful, or dangerous, down in those caverns. And if there was, there wasn't much hope of any immediate support.

The Arkinian System had no Portal providing handy Alliance back-up, and was dangerously close to the border where retaliatory Cruiser attacks were still ongoing. The Fleet would be reasonably close, but their hands were full. So, basically it was her, Oneakka, and Halling - oh, and Inifee the smiling pilot - against who knew what in those water caverns. Maybe something deadly sliding through the water unseen?

Okay, she was starting to lose focus for certain now.

She lowered the computer tablet she'd been given for the mission and closed her eyes, allowing the welcoming darkness to soothe her strained eyes a bit.

The Ancestral ship was so silent around her that she could barely believe the thing's engines were working. There was absolutely no sensation of movement, which was very weird. Even with the best of artificial gravity plating and drives that she'd experienced on ships or stations there had still been had some sensation through the deck plating. Even the most advanced Elite ships still had a faint sense of movement on sudden manoeuvres, or at least a vibration of the engines on lower decks. Even on the large and slowly moving Dreamstation there had been a feeling of the station having a heaviness to it as it ran along its long elliptical orbit of the local sun. But not this ship. With her eyes closed, she would swear she was sitting stationary on a planet. But, instead, she was on the tubular Ancestral vessel moving at a real fast pace through hyperspace.

A sense of nausea passed through her stomach at thinking about it too much and she blinked open her eyes. The dark curve of the ship's ceiling above her came into view. There were several high hanging nets holding cases of supplies and, no doubt, weapons for the Elite, and they didn't shift even faintly with the ship's motion. It was freaky.

She lowered her eyes from the ceiling, following the length of the ship to the narrowed entrance into the forward section where she could see part of Inifee's shoulder. Piloting the ship didn't seem to take a lot of concentration for him, as he was looking around a lot and consulting a holographic-like display that ghosted across the wide large front window.

She vaguely remembered Inifee from when she had been on the Sythus, having seen him in the ship's canteen and he had piloted one of the Elite's transport craft back when she had been a prisoner of the Elite. Clearly Inifee enjoyed his role as a pilot, having arrived in the Facility with a bright beaming smile at the prospect of flying Oneakka and Halling out to the Arkinian System. In fact, each time she'd seen Inifee he'd been smiling.

Smiling wasn't the theme in the rest of the ship though.

Halling's voice had been near constant for the last hour as he read out summaries of the research and salvage teams' reports, providing the information verbally for Oneakka who had been using the travel time to check, clean, and load every one of his and Halling's weapons.

She drew her gaze away from the forward section of the ship and lowered her eyes to where Oneakka was sat working on the weapons. He had all of his and Halling's guns laid out in a very orderly fashion along the opposite bench to hers and he'd selected to sit on the floor of the ship to work on them.

She'd never seen a man of Oneakka's size and muscular build sit cross-legged on the floor before; she wouldn't have believed he was flexible enough to do it. But, he'd been sat like that for almost an hour now and seemed comfortable enough as he worked his way methodically through all the weapons. He was almost finished too.

His back to her and his attention focused on the weapons and listening to Halling's summaries, he could have completely forgotten she was here.

Sitting behind and slightly higher than him provided her with an entirely new angle of Oneakka. She'd noticed before that his very short hair had grown a little longer at the front, but the new length was more obvious at the back of his head. The ends of his hair were starting to curl ever so slightly at the nape of his neck, suggesting that perhaps if he grew it out properly that maybe his short brown hair was actually slightly curly. It seemed an odd thing, as if a warrior like him wouldn't have curly hair.

Below his hairline, she had spotted a thin well-healed scar at the base of his neck, just above the line of protection provided by his moulded body armour. Judging by the angle of the line line and where it was, she suspected the strike had been intentional – someone trying to take his head off perhaps? It looked like an old scar, years old; but not as old as his facial scars. She hadn't really noted before now that those large scars down the right side of his face didn't extend around from his cheek to his neck. She was a little surprised that she hadn't noticed that before, but maybe it was because the tattoos across the right side of his face hid that fact. Both sides of his neck were free of ink or scars; in fact, his skin looked far more youthful than on first appearances.

She knew how old he was from her reading about Ugun in the Facility's database, as his Alliance standard date of birth had been listed in a very short bio on his being the last of his people. Though it was not always easy to compare different planets' year cycles, especially when she'd lived on so many different worlds in her life, she considered herself to be about 33 yearly cycles old, while Oneakka was 35 cycles according to the Alliance standard. So they were surprisingly close in ages, but it was only in the last few months in spending more time with him that she'd realised that. Maybe it was because he'd used to be simply a big aggressive Elite warrior and nothing else to her before. Elite warriors somehow always seemed older, and none had curly hair that she'd seen so far. Though, admittedly, most of the Elite wore their hair short or tied back tightly for battle.

She shifted her gaze across to the back of Oneakka's arms, which were moving as he worked on the last of the weapons laid out across the bench beside Halling, who was still droning on with depressingly boring facts from the Arkinian moon.

There was another scar across the back of Oneakka's left upper arm, which she'd noticed before since he nearly always had the full length of his arms uncovered. She idly wondered why he did that. She'd only seen him wear a long-sleeve top on a handful of occasions. She'd used to think he slept in his armour.

Except, she'd actually seen under that armour and knew that the thick protection concealed an almost hairless muscular chest and long lines of Wraith tattoos around his ribs. It had been a tiny short stolen moment glimpsed through a curtain in his Sythus quarters, and she'd later let him know that she'd seen him when she'd asked about his Ugun chest tattoo. He probably didn't care that he'd been half naked in full view. Why would he, looking like that?

Okay, her mind was wandering into some dangerous territory here.

Only her brain didn't quite want to let go of those remembered moments of him moving around his quarters bare-chested. She had apparently recorded the moment in sharp and vivid detail.

Stupid silly distracted hormones were not helpful to her.

She looked away from the handsome pale skin and impressively survived scars.

Was it warmer in here?

The urge to look back at Oneakka itched at her eyes. No, it was just all the reading and eye strain making them feel that way.

There was no point in letting herself start looking at Oneakka more closely. They both liked their mutually agreed boundaries. It was just that he was sat so close with his back to her affording her the rare chance to look at him freely without him noticing.

Damn hormones.

She stood up quickly from the bench. She needed to move around anyway, her legs were aching from being sat still for so long. She headed down the ship, needing to move away from Oneakka for a bit.

The Elite hadn't said she couldn't go sit up front for awhile; though she imagined they probably wouldn't be too keen on her taking too close an interest in all the interesting Ancestor tech.

She reached the doorway between the front and back sections of the Ancestor ship and paused in the threshold considering the doorframe. It was thicker than she'd expected, but then she realised that it would probably be an airlock between the two sections of the ship. The back hatch appeared the only way in or out of the craft, so this airlock was the only way to open the back to work in space or to protect the pilot if there was a hull breach.

That fact noted, she stepped over the airlock threshold and Inifee looked round.

"Hello," Inifee smiled at her, as cheerful as ever. He had golden coloured eyes, deeply dark skin, and an accent that suggested he was from Rosenthal.

"Hi," Seeal replied as she moved down the short aisle between the four seats and slid into the one across from Inifee. As she settled into the surprisingly comfortable seat, she glanced over the Ancestral console, but she couldn't make all that much sense of it. She continued her assessment over the other console on the right wall beside her.

"Impressive, isn't it," Inifee said.

"Yes, it is," Seeal agreed honestly. "Not that I know what I'm looking at."

"And they probably prefer that you don't," Inifee replied.

She looked back round at him, surprised at the teasing tone and he grinned at her before he shifted his attention forward to his controls again.

"I just needed a break from all the reading," she shared, feeling oddly comfortable with the man.

"Anything useful?" Inifee asked, his golden eyes on the moving display across the front window.

"Not really," Seeal confessed as she tried to understand the Ancestral language displayed across the window. "Not until we get another look at how the Hive uses its new tech. Not that we know where the thing is."

"In my experience," Inifee reported, "the Elite usually find the trouble their looking for."

She pulled her eyes from what might be readings of hyperspace frequencies to look at the smiling pilot. "So your theory is that just by the act of an Elite looking, that they'll find what they're looking for?"

"That's usually how people find things," Inifee replied logically.

"Well, that's true enough," Seeal agreed.

"I'm surprised you came along," Inifee said, his tone implying he had more to say on the subject.

"Are you?" Seeal asked, watching his profile.

"Because I hear you're more likely to be starting a Satedan riot," Inifee grinned round at her.

She sighed loudly. She had a feeling that she was never going to be allowed to forget that music festival. "It wasn't a _riot_. It was a _brawl_ ," she corrected.

"A large one. Madesh said the whole place went up in smoke."

"Don't believe everything Madesh tells you," she replied. "I didn't know you knew Madesh."

"I've been instructing him on advanced flight training," Inifee informed her.

Seeal sighed in disgust. "He gets to have all the fun."

"It sounds like nights out with you are plenty of fun," Inifee joked.

"Jealous?" Seeal challenged him.

"I've been stuck on the docked Sythus for too many long weeks with little to do but teach advanced piloting skills, what do you think?" Inifee asked.

"So an invitation to fly an Ancestor ship on an Elite mission into potentially dangerous territory...?" She prompted.

"Was _very_ welcome," Inifee nodded. "Though, if there's space, I'd love to join your group on their next visit to Myrtle's. I haven't been there for ages."

"Feel free to come along," Seeal agreed. "The more the-"

"Bigger the brawl will be?" Inifee joked again.

Seeal sniggered, only to hear movement from behind. She looked round to see Oneakka approaching.

"I haven't touched anything," she told him without prompting, holding up her hands.

Oneakka reached level with the back of the front seats and leant one long pale forearm along the back of her chair. His blue eyes held just enough amusement to suggest that he might have heard Inifee's teasing comments about the Satedan brawl.

"I know," Oneakka replied and then switched his attention to Inifee. "How much longer?"

Inifee had his eyes back on the Ancestor display. "I estimate only a handful of minutes, Honoured Elite."

Seeal wondered how Oneakka had timed his question so well.

"Let's get prepped," Oneakka stated as he turned and headed back into the rear section of the ship.

"Please tell me that I get to carry a weapon this time," she asked Oneakka's wide back as she quickly followed him.

He reached the bench and its waiting spread of cleaned weaponry, where Halling was already re-arming himself from the collection.

She took a breath to make the very valid point that there could be trouble waiting for them and that her being unarmed, though she had survived the same before on missions with Elite, was hardly the best option.

Only Oneakka turned and held out a stunner for her.

She let out the breath she held ready for her argument and took the offered weapon, a little surprised at his easy agreement.

Then Halling held out an empty holster for her to use.

"Thank you," she said, trying not to sound too stunned as she took the offerings. Halling nodded in return.

He hadn't seemed as grumpy as he had been back in the Facility, but then she'd never really gotten on with the tall Elite. He was clearly the type of man who preferred quiet and calm discussions, not someone like her asking difficult and pushy questions. She had no problem with his opinion of her - that was his business - though she was a little surprised that he and Oneakka were clearly such good friends. Oneakka was hardly one to favour quiet and calm debate.

Either way, Halling seemed resigned enough to her being on the mission and she could trust him as an Elite to help watch her back.

She secured the holster around her waist, though had to use one of the last holes in the strap; clearly the holster was meant for someone far larger than her. She slid her new stunner into the holster against her right hip; she felt better now.

Then Oneakka held out another gun for her.

Two weapons? Wow. She took the larger, more powerful energy weapon from his pale hand.

"You sure know how to make a woman happy," she told him as she checked the new weapon over and slid it into place on her other hip.

"There's a defuser unit in the back of the holster," Oneakka added. "You need to activate it."

Seeal felt around the holster until her fingers found the hard pressure of one of the small round units she remembered using on the Glisi homeworld. She pulled open the top of the covering pouch and found an obvious button inside. She pressed it and felt the familiar buzzing sensation pass over her as the defuser's charge powered to life. The buzz only lasted a second, but she was now protected from Wraith stunner fire – which was always a good thing.

There was the faintest sense of something changing around her and she looked towards the front of the ship to see Inifee look round.

"We're here, Honoured Elite," the pilot called.

Halling pushed slightly past Seeal, then Oneakka after him, as the Elite moved into the forward section to see the newly revealed sight of Arkinian System. Seeal followed, squeezing into the space between the lines of seats and Oneakka's left arm, so that she could see the view and the holographic display across the window.

"Any other ships on sensors?" Halling asked Inifee.

The display shifted to show an outline of the solar system. She hadn't seen Inifee touch any controls; how had he brought that view up?

"No ships or any life-signs registering anywhere in the system," Inifee reported at the same time that Seeal saw the same on the display.

"Any signs of the new radiation?" Halling asked next. His voice was lower than normal, as were Inifee's replies, as if whispering might help them sneak past any waiting enemies.

The display shifted with lines of data and graphs of frequencies. Seeal leant further forward to watch, leaning one elbow on the top of one Ancestral chair as she did. She couldn't understand the language displayed still, but the frequency graphs made some sense to her. If she was reading it right, there was just the usual kind of background signals.

"No," Inifee confirmed her conclusion. "I'm picking up just the local phenomena, and even that is some distance away."

"Where is the target moon?" Halling asked.

The display shifted, returning to the former map of the solar system and then zooming into one aspect of it; a planet with a large-ish moon rotating around it.

"Take us to it," Oneakka ordered and immediately the view outside beyond the display started to change as Inifee angled the Ancestral ship off to the relative left. A planet swept into view and then moved off to the right as the ship flew towards a distant large blue planet. The approach was amazingly fast, the smoothness of the ride belying just how powerful this Ancestral ship's engines had to be working. Still, inside, she felt nothing of the movement and vibrations of travelling at such speed. Her stomach threatened to roll a little as she watched the planet approaching and then veering off to the right as Inifee took them around towards the newly visible dry looking innocuous moon orbiting the planet.

Well, it was an innocuous moon apart from the massive smear of blackened mess that was the remains of the ancient Wraith base and the Wraith cruiser that had impacted it. It was all looking rather too familiar to her now. Flashes of fighting the slug robots played across her mind.

"I don't like this system," she muttered as she stood up straight again from her interested forward leaning. Oneakka's arm was a warm, oddly comforting, pressure against her right arm.

What if the slugs inside those robots had come from the water caverns on the moon?

"I'm not detecting anything out of the ordinary in orbit in or around the moon," Inifee supplied.

Seeal focused on the new frequency readings. Inifee was right, there was nothing obvious and certainly none of the particular brand of dangerous radiation from the Hive's drive.

"The Hive hasn't been here then," she considered, feeling a faint touch of relief. "We need to scan the region over the base where we saw the Seed Ship appear and disappear the last time we were here."

"And we need to get down to the water caverns under the base," Oneakka added the other part of this mission.

"I have located the Research and Salvage landing point," Inifee announced, the view of the moon now filling the screen as he descending the ship towards the dark smear that was the remains of the former base.

"Drop us there and we'll check the caverns while you scan the identified areas in orbit for any residual readings left by the Seed Ship," Halling instructed Inifee.

Inifee nodded, though his eyes were concentrating forward as the ship lowered towards the dark surface the moon. "Yes, Honoured Elite."

"Keep the cloaking shield up at all times," Halling added as he turned and pushed between Seeal and Oneakka, Oneakka following him. Seeal, though, held still, watching Inifee's impressive approach down towards the surface of the moon. She watched as the dark blot of the former Cruiser went from a simple area of the moon to a vast area of the moon's surface soon rushing below the ship's belly. The damage the Cruiser had wrought was as impressive as it was a little terrifying.

Had the Cruiser's crash resulted from damage from the Seed Ship having gutted the underside of their ship? Had they been trying to ram the Seed Ship when it had been in orbit of the moon and, the Seed Ship having escaped with its crazy jumping drive, had the Cruiser had nowhere to go but cash into the moon?

Or, had it been a deliberate and desperate act of the Wraith? Had they used their last remaining breaths and the heavy bulk of hull and explosive power of the impacting engines to destroy the base on this moon?

What could there possibly have been in that base that would make them do that?

And, more importantly, was the reason still here? Still hiding down in the water caverns beneath?

Whatever the answer was, she was about to find out, first hand.

She turned her back on the view and strode down the length of the Ancestral ship to join Oneakka and Halling at the back hatch. Halling had one hand raised, holding ready over the control to open the back hatch the second the ship landed, and Oneakka was drawing one of his stunners out of his holster.

She drew out her own stunner from her borrowed, and overly large, holster and set her boots solidly on the plating under her. Waiting and ready.

"I'm bringing us in," Inifee announced from behind her.

00000  
TBC


	27. The Ruse

00000

 **Chapter 27 – The Ruse**

They were running out of time.

With returning to Atlantis via the Ancestral ship through the Portal, then unloading the communications panel, and bringing it down to the Control Room, there was now less than an hour until the next scheduled dial in. At which point, John was going to be feed upon once again by the Wraith.

It meant that they not only had to find where John was being held, but needed to get to that location and rescue John all within one hour.

Nervous tension itched at Teyla's nerve endings as she watched the Atlantis Portal shutdown. Her conversation with Massa in the Facility had been brief, but hopefully useful. The Elite technicians had been able to clarify one part of the previously recorded transmissions from John's captives, the results of which had just been downloaded through the Portal. Si, Dr McKay, and Dr Zelenka were now opening the report to study the results, the three men sat at the back of the room, hunched around their various Elite, Ancestral, and Earth computer screens.

To the left, the two Facility technicians had Kolya's communications panel set on a table and were currently working to open up the back of the tech.

Off to the right, Colonel Carter was in deep discussion with those from the Earth IOA. During the mission to the factory's planet, Cowen had dialled into Atlantis to supply them with his list of possible locations of Kolya outside the Alliance. The list included some of those that Father's contact had already supplied, but, notably, Cowen's list had not included the factory planet. Colonel Carter had told the Cowen this, having described the factory as a Genii outpost that her people had discovered. Cowen had, very surprisingly, responded calmly, though coldly. He'd told Colonel Carter that her accusations were inappropriate and that she should focus on retrieving John. He'd made it clear, yet again, that Kolya was excommunicated and had then demanded that any of Kolya's supplies found in the factory were to be returned to the Genii.

Clearly Cowen was going to be of no further help and was washing his hands of Kolya and playing any part of helping to find John. Though that angered Teyla to her core, right now she had no time to focus on that. All she could concentrate on was finding a way to save John, and save him quickly.

She headed towards the technicians who were now plugging cables into the back of Kolya's communications panel. "How long?" She asked them.

"Short minutes, Honoured Elite," one technician replied calmly as he clipped another cable into the back of the panel. "This is at least a three generations old relay," he explained as he worked.

"Which would make it a year old?" Teyla estimated, her knowledge of the details of communications tech generations not all that clear.

"At least; probably two years," the other technician put in as he lifted an electronic pad and tapped it awake. "Even if there is a blocking code, we should be able to get around it quickly enough considering the tech's age."

"Good," Teyla nodded, frowning down at the panel. "Work fast."

"Yes, Honoured Elite," both technicians replied as they kept working.

She turned away, heading across the short distance to Si. He was frowning over the Elite console screen, discussing something with Dr McKay. They would have had time by now to consider the new report in from the Facility. She hurried around behind the three men's backs to see their computer screens for herself.

"Anything?" She asked as she stood behind Si' wide shoulders and peered at his console's screen.

"The Facility have, as expected, started by unravelling the last and relatively loudest part of the recorded transmissions," Si explained. "They have been able to separate out the frequencies of the last Portal that was dialled into Atlantis, but the rest of the data still has to be unpicked. Though, they are almost certain that only two Portals were used in a series to dial into Atlantis, but there is still a lot of confused data in the earliest part of the transmission that will take time to analyse completely."

Teyla nodded her understanding. "What have they found on the last Portal?" She asked hurriedly.

Si tapped some controls to bring up the results for her. "There's enough recognisable background information in the transmissions for them to narrow down where the last Portal was located."

"They've identified the exact Portal?" She asked hopefully.

"No, the region it is in," Dr Zelenka was the one to reply as he turned to her, drawing his computer slightly closer for her to see. "They found particular known background radiation," he explained in his heavily accented soft voice, "which is found only in this area of the galaxy."

Teyla leant forward between the two men's shoulders to look at the screen. The region displayed was not desperately far from the Alliance border, but it was not an area she knew.

"Are they certain?" she checked.

"The radiation they found is distinct because it is only found in this region due to its proximity to the centre of this galaxy and two local supernovae," Dr Zelenka continued.

"That narrows it down to," Dr McKay put in, "only several hundred planets, and..." he paused as he tapped his tablet's screen to reveal a list of Portal addresses, "about thirty three planets with known Stargates in that region of the galaxy. Which, by the way, none of them are on any of the lists we have from the Genii or from M1K 177's DHD. Great, problem solved!" He finished sarcastically. "This doesn't help us; it just shows us a vague location for the last Gate in the relay, not the _origin_ of the transmission."

"We are aware of that Dr McKay," Si replied calmly.

"Can they narrow it down any further to a particular planet?" Teyla asked Si.

"No," Si shook his head. "But, now that we suspect that Kolya is using his own small links network, this may explain some of the confusion within the rest of the transmission data. Kolya may have used his network to carry part of the signal."

Teyla nodded, that having been her theory. "Once the technicians have the precise frequencies Kolya is using from the communications panel, that will hopefully allow us to unpick that from the transmission's data."

"I am already running a basic analysis on the data to look for links-like patterns, which we can then narrow down with Kolya's precise frequencies," Si explained as he tapped a command on the console and the running analysis displayed across the screen for her.

Teyla set her hands on Si' shoulders, nervous hope tightening her throat as she watched the console's fast work. She watched as it highlighted parts of the transmission data, already finding common subspace signatures of links frequency patterns. Something was definitely forming, a pattern emerging from the mess of data now that the Facility had separated out the last Portal used.

"It definitely passed through subspace," Dr Zelenka muttered as he watched the screen.

Teyla glanced up from the moving information and glanced across the busy room to where Colonel Carter was now talking with only Colonel Sumner and General O'Neill. They looked very worried.

Teyla lifted her arm, checking her Earth timepiece. Even if they were able to confirm that Kolya used his links network to carry part of the transmission to Atlantis, it would not immediately lead them to the planet where John was being held. They just had to hope that there were further identifiable background clues to trace the links, which would then enable them to identify the remaining Portal used within the transmission.

If that was impossible; what else could she do to find John? Perhaps if they went out to the region of the last Portal they might be able to track down the precise Portal and find further clues there. Perhaps Kolya might even be using his links frequencies in that region, which they could then track. Perhaps-

"The analysis is complete," Si announced and Teyla snapped her eyes back to the screen in front of him. The console's computer had found clear evidence among the dense data of a links style of frequencies, and it had even concluded that it was all in the earliest part of the transmission.

She considered that new piece of information.

"So, Kolya sent the video signal out via his version of an Alliance links network to a Gate, which dialled a second Gate that then dialled into here?" Dr McKay interpreted the readings.

"Yes," Si nodded, his tone implying that he was impressed Dr McKay had been able to understand the display given that it was in the Alliance technical language.

"Like we do to Midway Station," Dr Zelenka uttered quietly.

"There is a lot of extra data around the links signal," Teyla noted with relief.

Si nodded. "Hopefully it is identifiable background noise that we can use to find the-"

"Honoured Elite," one of the technicians called as he quickly approached, a data card held out to them. "We have the links frequencies used by the communications panel."

"Good work," Teyla told the technician gratefully, as Si took the offered the small data card and inserted it into a slot on the side of the Elite console.

Teyla watched eagerly over Si' shoulder as he pulled up the new data and ran the comparison. This was finally something that could lead them to Kolya. She glanced back across the room to see Colonel Carter glance her way from her conversation with General O'Neill.

Si' console bleeped, a report appearing.

"There's no match," Si read out the unexpected result.

"What?" Teyla asked as she leant forward right over his shoulder to see the detailed results for herself.

"The links pattern in the transmission does not match the one Kolya used to send out his alert from the factory," Si supplied.

Teyla's heart dropped into her feet.

"Could he be using different series of frequencies?" Dr Zelenka asked. "Perhaps this was just the frequency he used from the factory to one other point," Dr Zelenka considered.

"So we have nothing to trace?" Dr McKay asked angrily.

Teyla frowned at the results. Would Kolya truly have set up different links working on different frequencies between different planets? Surely that was far more complicated. Even the Alliance vast links network...

"Wait," she tightened her hand on Si' shoulder. "The links section of the data was definitely at the front of the transmission?"

"Yes," Si confirmed, pulling up that computer analysis for her again.

"So Kolya used his links to send his signal to the first Portal," Teyla frowned at that. "Why? If the transmission was just from bunker to Portal, he did not need to use a links signal for that. Why the overkill?"

"Perhaps the bunker is shielded or too far away from the Portal for clear transmission," Si considered.

"Could it be on the other side of a planet to the Gate?" Dr Zelenka theorised.

"Possibly," Si nodded.

"Why carry John so far away from the Portal?" Teyla didn't like that idea. "They would need a ship to take him so far, and if they have a ship, why hold him on a planet at all?"

"Could he be on a ship?" Dr Zelenka suggested.

"It's clearly a Genii bunker in the video," Dr McKay disagreed.

"Or," Si considered, his head tilting slightly, "Kolya used the links network to send the signal off-planet to another Portal."

"That would explain all the extra background noise around the links pattern," Teyla agreed. "If the links was carried via satellites and a relay point to send it through an active Portal, then that would easily add that much noise."

"It would," Si agreed, his fingers moving over the console, running another analysis to look for more specific features of links relays.

Teyla frowned though. "It would require an established infrastructure outside the border. Kolya would need satellites and people coordinating at different Portals, and to carry the live stream to speak with us in real time..."

"He risks drawing the attention of the Wraith," Si nodded. The analysis on the console was struggling to find clear features on the data.

"He would surely also encrypt the links to stop the Wraith, or others, from hacking it," Teyla considered out loud. "But he didn't do that on the signal out of the factory. Why would he not use encrypted data for one transmission but then use encryption here? The density of the noise around his links signal suggests it was heavily encrypted. We use..."

A sudden horrible idea formed.

Si' head turned to look at her over his shoulder.

"We use heavy encryption in our links network," she finished her thought.

Si' eyes widened, apparently having reached the same conclusion.

"Run a comparison to our network encryption systems," she suggested and Si nodded, turning back to the console.

She felt her breathing run shallow as she watched the console run its new analysis. Surely this wasn't going to be correct; surely Kolya wouldn't be that arrogant...

The results flagged up, one at a time, pulling tiny pieces of information out of the former complicated mix of the transmission data. No one had thought to do this, because it was beyond bold and stupid.

"We should have found this sooner," Si stated, angry.

"Found what?" Dr McKay asked hurriedly, leaning in against Si' other shoulder, uncaring about personal space.

The console was still running its analysis, but it had already found enough to prove the case for Teyla, and she felt equally angry at not having even considered this before now.

"Kolya's transmission started by using _our_ links network," Teyla explained in horror. "The transmission came from _inside_ Alliance territory."

Colonel Carter appeared on the other side of the console, having overheard. Teyla looked up into the woman's pale eyes.

"John is being held in our territory," she concluded, the anger raging up.

"Are you sure?" Colonel Carter asked quickly.

"Kolya used our own links network to send the signal to a Portal, which then will have dialled out of Alliance territory, relayed to you via a non-Alliance Portal in the region identified by the Facility."

"He could do all that during a real time conversation with us?" Colonel Carter asked, General O'Neill appearing at her side.

"If the Portals were already open, then the transmission would be fast and efficient through our links network," Teyla confirmed. "He could do it."

"Can you trace the signal he used in your network?" Colonel Carter asked, hope glimmering in her eyes.

"The Facility can start the search," Teyla replied.

"Chuck," Colonel Carter called across the room. "Dial the Elite Facility again."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Kolya's holding the Major in _Alliance_ territory?" General O'Neill asked as the sounds of the Portal starting resounded up from the next room.

"Kolya can't get into the Alliance," Si argued though. "He is on every watch list; he would have been identified."

"So he snuck in onto some backward farming planet," Dr McKay argued. "Clearly no one noticed an unconscious Major getting taken through one of your Gates."

Teyla considered how she would smuggle someone into the Alliance via Portal. "Not everyone knows what Major Sheppard looks like; if they concealed him in a cart of normal trading supplies, or explained him as being asleep or unconscious from drink, guards on smaller trading planets probably wouldn't think anything wrong."

"That might work for Major Sheppard, but not Kolya," Si stated. "His face is well known to all Enforcement guards across the Alliance, as well as to biometric facial scanners; he would be recognised and reported."

"Except," Colonel Carter added, "we haven't _seen_ Kolya in the transmissions."

Teyla met her eyes, realising her point.

"What if Kolya isn't in Alliance space, but his people, who can more easily sneak past guards, are holding John in your territory," the Colonel continued. "They could use any underground basement somewhere made to look like a Genii bunker, and we would never have thought that John might be in Alliance space."

"And when we find Major Sheppard, Kolya won't be there," Teyla realised.

"We'll just find Genii soldiers who are so loyal to Kolya that they'll likely swear he had nothing to do with it," Colonel Carter added as the Portal continued to activate beyond the balconies of the Control Room.

"Probably blame Cowen instead; just like he was rambling about," General O'Neill added.

"This is all about overthrowing Cowen," Teyla concluded bitterly, so many formerly confusing aspects of this situation suddenly making far more sense to her.

Anger tightened her throat and she really wanted to smash her fist into something. Kolya was using John as a thing, a political tool to get what he wanted.

"That is why he is risking angering the Elite," Teyla explained to the others. "He intends to turn us on Cowen. With Major Sheppard held in our territory, where Kolya could never go, and those holding John ready to say they worked under Cowen's direct orders, there will be no evidence implicating Kolya directly."

"Except maybe Major Sheppard," Colonel Carter stated, her eyes hollowing.

If John had heard any discussion about Kolya, or if Kolya had been the one to capture him, then that would be the only evidence.

They had gagged John in the transmissions – even that made far more sense now. If John had seen Kolya, he would, without doubt, have shouted that piece of vital information to them through the transmission.

Which meant that Kolya really did not intend for John to survive this.

"That is why they're demanding that you evacuate Atlantis," Teyla realised further as she heard the wormhole forming, "they _know_ you'll never agree to it, so Major Sheppard will _never_ be released."

Kolya was going to kill John and use his murder as a means to rise to power.

And even if they were able to find the planet and bunker where John was held, surely Kolya would have left orders for John to be killed before he could be rescued.

Perhaps he had already done so.

No, she could not think that way.

Kolya had planned this well, ensuring that, even if things failed, that he would not be caught holding John. He would still survive out beyond the border, out of the reach of Cowen or the Elite.

Despair threatened to wrap around Teyla's heart, but she forced herself to focus on how to disrupt Kolya's plan. She had to find a way to save John, to retrieve him alive and well. The problem was how much time they needed to find him in the vast territory of the Alliance.

"Colonel Carter, I have the Facility on radio," the man named Chuck called out.

Teyla moved around the console to follow Colonel Carter swiftly across the room.

"Our links network is vast, containing millions of communications," Teyla explained to her hurriedly. "Finding one historical signal in all that, even with an exact time stamp, without an origin or destination point means it will take time."

"How much time?" Colonel Carter asked.

Teyla consulted her timepiece, wishing it would say the exact opposite of what it showed her. It had taken too long to reach this conclusion, too long to start the search of the network.

"Not enough."

00000

Long Sleep hissed in frustrated anger.

Everything he did to try to help the Hive was all swiftly unravelling with formidable speed. Repairs he had completed only hours ago were already showing signs of renewed failure and entirely new lines of stress were appearing throughout the superstructure of the ship.

At some point in the last few hours, a tipping point had been reached and he feared there was no chance of return now. The Hive could no longer sustain itself to hold fast against irreparable structural damage.

He had done all he could, but anything he and his fellow Keepers did now was just delaying the inevitable. The Hive would fail. It was just a matter of when and how.

He felt a deep regret that he would not be able to save the living consciousness of the ship that had reached out to him to help it. All he could do now was try to keep it together long enough to find a way to save the crew.

Except, the Poison Queen would hardly allow that.

She was instead attempting to hasten all their deaths. He was certain of that now, for word had arrived that there would be another jump using the new drive. She was clearly intending to kill them. If the Hive held together after the next jump, the chances were high that the Armoured Herd would easily overwhelm and destroy them. And if the Armoured Herd happened not to be in the area into which the jump landed them, the structural stress of jumping back away from there would likely rip the Hive apart for good.

Which meant that he had to find a way to stop this madness now.

He turned from the depressing displays and considered the group of Keepers waiting for his next orders.

The life-force the Hive Primary had given him had kept Long Sleep's mind strong, and had repaired much of the damage to his body for now, but he could still feel the sapping weakness from the never-ending effects of the evil radiation. But, that was nothing compared to what was happening to the other Keepers.

Those that could still stand looked near death. Some were straining to breathe properly, others could barely support the weight of their own heads as they tried to concentrate on their work. Outside the monitoring chamber it was no better, drones and warriors alike were struggling to even walk properly.

Even if Long Sleep could find a way to save the Hive, he no longer had enough Keepers who were well enough to help him. They were dying as fast as the Hive.

Long Sleep turned from the Keepers and pressed his own paled hand to the console's connection before him. The Hive's system responded in a sluggish fashion, working but clearly slower.

This had to stop. Surely even the thick-skulled Hive Primary could see what was happening to his Hive? Or did the Poison Queen's mind have such a powerful hold over him that the Primary could not see the suffering around him?

Or perhaps he did not care because he was in league with the Skerti?

The display before Long Sleep showed the power supply throughout the Hive, points flickering with partial supply and several outer areas completely dark. Long Sleep had suggested evacuation of those outer areas, and presumably the Primary had done so. There were clearly no life-signs in those areas now, so either way it no longer mattered.

Long Sleep studied the slightly flickering display before him. He needed to find a way to shut the drive down, permanently. He could see it was building energy now, draining desperately needed power from the rest of the Hive, ready for the imminent jump.

Except...there was one other large pulsing point of energy usage within the Hive. He frowned at the bright spot at the base of the Hive.

He sneered angrily as he realised what it was and what it meant.

Only, he caught himself quickly and swiftly wrapped his mind up tightly again. Holding his breath, he waited to see if he had inadvertently drawn the Poison Queen's all seeing mind.

He could feel her mind beyond the walled fortress of his thoughts, but she was not focused on him. He carefully focused on her with a very faint light mental touch.

She was focused on the fast approaching jump. There was a clear sense of eagerness, almost raging in its intensity.

She probably knew that this next jump would be the last of the Hive and she was revelling in it.

Her plan was all the more obvious now that he saw the glowing power drain at the base of the Hive. It was the Queen's private escape ship, fitting into the underside of every Hive. It was fully powered.

She intended to run away once the Hive became unliveable.

She was going to kill all onboard and then escape unscathed. The Skerti drive and its radiation no doubt had no effects on her Skerti blood. If Skerti have blood.

He carefully adjusted the display, checking for the flow of nutrition fluids and, sure enough, the Queen's escape vessel had a vast supply redirected towards it. She was ensuring it was as healthy as it could be in order to help her escape.

If she escaped while in the Armoured Herd's territory though, it was possible that the enemy prey would see the escape ship and destroy it.

The Hive would not survive a jump back out of the enemy territory, so his choice was clear. He had to shut down the drive immediately after the imminent jump. There was significant risk in trapping the Hive in the Armoured Herd's territory, but, hopefully, this jump would take them somewhere not heavily populated. If there was a planet nearby with life, then the crew could take fighters down to the surface and feed. If there was a Portal, then all the better.

He just had to find a way of shutting down the power supply to the drive in such a way that she would not be able to power it up again. The radiation would stop and the Queen would likely flee, so there was a chance. The only chance for those onboard this ship of death.

How could he kill the drive though?

He returned the display to the power systems and considered his options. Considering the expansive damage, which would likely be even greater after this new jump, a break in a power line could be easily explained away. He would have to make sure that it was not a break that would allow a simple work around to repair.

If he cut off power to the entire section holding the drive...it would likely cut off power from one of the standard engine pods at the same time, but since they were barely working anyway... Yes, this could work.

He would have to do the sabotage himself, by hand, to make sure it worked correctly.

The glowing light membranes flickered and the interface dulled as the new drive drew the last reserves of power to jump. It was about to happen.

He had no time.

He turned and ran, rushing out of the monitoring chamber without a word to his weakly watching Keepers.

This would be his one and only chance.

00000

The water caverns were not looking hopeful.

Inifee had dropped them just beyond the edge of the charred and twisted remains of what had been the Wraith Cruiser that had crashed down into the former Wraith base on this moon. The landing point had been well selected by the former research and salvage teams that had recently evacuated, as a large buckle in the ground made an easy entrance into the caverns beneath the moon's surface.

There was a simple lift system installed by the teams, a platform that lowered down the hundred or so feet to the top of the caverns, and where the research team had set up a main base. They had selected a flat plateau and established a main computer link and sensor station.

From that point, the view down into the caverns had been massively impressive, but also somewhat disappointing. The caverns weren't as deep as Oneakka had expected and, off to the far right, the caverns had obviously collapsed down due to the impact from above. The sensor station that Halling powered up revealed a full detailed scan of the cavern system, which included only plant, fish, and insect life.

The research teams were apparently focusing their work on understanding where the water came from that could be heard falling in the far distance below. Their latest analysis suggested that the caverns provided a closed system, where the moisture in the air condensed down into the long gouges of rivulets down the walls of the massive caverns to collect into pools and then into narrow rivers that apparently all disappeared down into a deep crevasse out of the cavern system.

The strangely bright light emanating across the cavern was supplied by a series of crystalline structures running along the gouges in the walls and across the ceiling. The light glowed down through the cavern to the deep reddish foliage on the cavern floor.

The research teams had catalogued the crystals, the insects, fish, and plants below, but otherwise had found nothing else in any of the cavern system.

No nice obvious alien tech or signs of Wraith down here. In fact it was entirely possible that the Wraith hadn't known these caverns were here when they made their base on the surface.

Still, it was worth taking a decent look around, see if there was something that the research teams' scans hadn't picked up.

Halling looked well settled in front of the sensor station, so Oneakka followed where Seeal was making her way down towards the floor of this particular wide and deep cavern. There were a series of plateaus and slopes running down the cavern wall, which eventually led down to the thick foliage and trees below. Oneakka pulled out his sensor pad as he made his way down the first incline. The ground was a rough gravel underfoot and he had to keep his weight carefully balanced to stop from slipping as he made his way down to the first small plateau.

The research and salvage teams had set up their portable tents on the plateaus, so as he reached the first piece of flat ground, he walked past three tents lined up in a row looking out across the view of the cavern below. Though he knew there was no one remaining here, he still peered into each tent as he passed them. Just in case.

There was nothing in the tents except bedding, so he carried on down the next gravelly slope.

He watched the screen of his sensor pad as he moved, but the only one decent sized life-sign registering ahead was Seeal. She was two plateaus down from him and was almost at the cavern floor.

There were tents on the next plateau and Oneakka took his time to check in each one. There were various personal items still in these tents, suggesting that the teams had either left in a hurry or were expecting to return soon. As per protocol, there were no perishable goods or weapons left behind.

Another three plateaus down and Oneakka reached the cavern floor, and the change in climate was obvious. The lower he had progressed down the wall of the cavern, the more humid the air had grown, until now, on the cavern floor, he felt as if he were in a rainforest. The air tasted of water, and it all had a certain strange smell to it that was no doubt unique to this environment.

The trees were larger than they had appeared from above, the smallest being at least twice his height. All of the branches held large flat reddish leaves that glistened with moisture caught from the air, and there was a faint sense of a mist around him as he moved along the narrow path that had obviously been cleared by the research teams.

He found Seeal crouched by a collection of several more tents set in an open patch of ground under a particularly wide and tall tree.

"They left in a hurry," Seeal commented as she lifted several electronic pads.

"Anything useful on them?" Oneakka asked as he approached, sweeping his sensor pad around to scan everything in detail.

He heard the pads bleep under Seeal's awakening touch.

"This one is someone's diary; apparently she doesn't feel listened to by the team's Lead. And this one has notes on some of these trees and the river," she supplied. "There's something further up that way beside the water."

Oneakka nodded as his pad had detected the small wooden structure. Oneakka headed towards it, brushing large ruddy leaves out of his way as he stepped through to see the hut up ahead. It was stood on the bank of a slow moving river.

"They probably have their kitchen and washing facilities in there," Oneakka guessed. "Or maybe a lab or further supplies," he considered.

"Doesn't seem like there's anything useful here," Seeal commented from behind him as he moved towards the edge of the water. The river was barely three metres wide and it wasn't all that deep, but it held beautifully clear water. As he moved along the water's edge in the direction of the hut, he saw faint slivers of light in the depths of the water, which his sensor pad detected as tiny life-signs; they would be the fish the research teams had described in their reports.

"What are we expecting to find in their toilet hut exactly?" Seeal asked as she followed him, though he had noticed that her voice had come from off to the right behind him.

He looked over his right shoulder to see that she was walking through the vegetation rather than along the open bank. It seemed a slightly odd choice, but then maybe she was looking through the undergrowth for anything interesting.

"There could be something in the hut," he answered her as he glanced across the vegetation off to his immediate right to see what might have interested her, but there was nothing but dark red fern leaves and shrubs.

"Like advanced Wraith tech?" Seeal asked sarcastically as she moved around a tree blocking her path.

"You wanted to get out of the Facility on a real mission again," he pointed out as he consulted his pad again. The humid air was condensing moisture across the screen, which he idly wiped off as he considered the readings from the hut. There's was only one single tiny power reading from the structure, which suggested that someone had left the light fixture on inside during the evacuation. He suspected the hut simply held the research team's toilets and maybe somewhere for them to wash their clothes. It would make sense with the easy access to the river water.

"I suggested scanning the area _above_ the moon," Seeal noted.

"Inifee doesn't need a second pair of eyes over his shoulder, and you're more useful here," Oneakka replied. He paused and turned around, checking that he could still see Halling's shape up in the high overlooking sensor station. "Once Inifee has the scans from orbit, we can look at them back in the ship," he added to her.

Happy that Halling hadn't disappeared anywhere, Oneakka moved to turn back towards the direction of the hut, only Seeal drew his attention. She was heading around another tree, selecting to go around the far side of the tree, which meant pushing through dense almost waist-high ferns.

She could have easily walked round the other side of the tree, which was open along the river bank where he had walked.

He glanced at the river and then back at her as she emerged from around the wide tree trunk.

He held still and considered her.

She noticed he had stopped and froze. "What?" She asked cautiously, looking around her.

He glanced at the open space between her and the river bank.

A strange little recalled fact struck him. She'd used pretty much every feature of the gyms back at the Facility, but he couldn't remember ever seeing her name showing up in the spa gym. The spa was usually a favourite to most in the Facility, with its two swimming pools and hot water tubs to soak in after long hard workouts. None of which she'd used.

He considered the open stretch of ground between her and the river bank again.

"Are you afraid of water?" He asked her directly.

She made a loud scoffing sound. "No!" She stated instantly, and _way_ too insistently.

He narrowed his eyes at her, studying her closely.

She crossed her arms and glared at him.

Oh, she was hiding something.

He wasn't sure why the thought of her being afraid of something was oddly interesting. Maybe it was because he'd never seen her afraid of anything so far. She'd stood up to anyone and everything she encountered, including him. She'd run into a fight with a Wraith Queen and had almost died fighting that slug robot.

He had met plenty of people who were properly afraid of water, for various reasons, but the idea that Raven might be afraid of something like water was...amusing somehow.

He kept his eyes on her and waited.

"I'm _not_ afraid of water," she insisted, unable to stand his silent glare – which again was unusual for her. She usually held her own in their staring matches.

So he waited some more.

"I can swim," she stated. "All Glisi can swim. You fall into the water on that planet and it will freeze you to death within minutes if you don't get out quick."

That sounded true enough, but he still sensed something she wasn't sharing.

"Being able to swim doesn't mean you might not be afraid of water," he considered.

"I'm not afraid of water," she stated again. "You've seen me in water; remember when we had to jump off the roof of that club on Rimba because _you_ destroyed the entire building?"

He didn't rise to that baiting challenge, because it was clearly designed to distract him.

"And I was in that flooded chamber on the Sythus with you just fine when that first baby slug robot got out," she continued with her evidence. "Did you see me running and hiding? No, I sorted out those valves."

"With my help," he took the opportunity to prod.

She scoffed at that too. "I got those seals mostly shut by myself; you just helped at the end."

"Mostly shut doesn't stop the water flowing; water that you're scared of," he pushed.

She glared angrily now. "I'm _not_ afraid of water."

Her evidence and insistence seemed to track, but he still sensed that she was hiding something. He knew her well enough now to tell; there was just a little too much tension in her back and shoulders, and she kept her arms crossed, which was something she rarely did around him. Normally her arms would be waving around as she pointed and gestured with her hands, whereas now, her body language was closed and defiant, with just the faintest scent of something close to embarrassment around the edges.

If she thought she could pretend he hadn't noticed, they could stay here all day while he waited for the truth.

He crossed his arms, noting that his sensor pad still refused to display anything interesting; certainly nothing as interesting as something Raven might try to hide.

He waited, watching her.

One of her eyes twitched slightly in the glaring match across the few metres between them.

Then her gaze shifted quickly to the river and back. She cursed quietly, knowing she'd given her anxiety away.

He lifted his eyebrows, amused at the tell.

She tried to look relaxed and calm. "I'm honestly not afraid of water," she told him in a more controlled tone.

He kept waiting though, sensing surrender.

"I'm not afraid of water," she repeated, "just...the killer fish in it," she finally blurted.

Oneakka couldn't help himself from laughing. "You're afraid of fish?"

"There are deadly fish on many worlds that eat people," she hurriedly explained. "Eat them _alive_."

Oneakka worked to control his amusement. "There's nothing in the reports here that suggest these fish are deadly," he indicated the river next to him. "They're tiny," he noted looking down through the clear water.

"Small can still be deadly, Oneakka," Seeal insisted. "They could swarm."

"Swarm?"

"It's not a joking matter. Fish can be killers."

He had heard about dangerous fish on some planets, but attacks were rare occurrences; besides, these fish were tiny little things.

"There's certainly no fish in the Facility swimming pools," he told her, letting her know that he hadn't missed that particular fact.

She narrowed her dark eyes, annoyed that he had noticed her avoidance of the spa. He grinned victoriously.

"I read that they use little fish to clean the pools in the Facility," she explained a little sheepishly.

"In a side tank," he told her, "there are meshes and filters between the tanks and the pools."

"The fish could escape," Seeal countered.

He chuckled at her paranoia.

"Why is that funny?" She demanded.

"You faced a slug robot cutting its way out of hot water pipes with its long razor claws, but you're too scared to swim in a perfectly safe pool?"

"I can go in those swimming pools _anytime_ ," she returned quickly. "We'll go when we get back and I'll prove I'm not afraid of going into that water."

"What about this water?" He asked, angling his head towards the river beside him. "You worried the fish are going to attack you on the bank?"

"No, obviously."

"You're keeping quite far away from the water," he pointed out.

"I can go _near_ water with fish in it," she immediately rose to the bait.

"Why don't you then?" He challenged her.

She narrowed her eyes at him again.

He watched her, waiting to see what she would do.

She lifted her chin and started towards him and the river.

She walked up to him with determined casualness and then moved past him to stand right on the edge of the river bank. "See," she stated victoriously and then made her mistake. She looked down, peering into the water.

Oneakka moved quickly, kicking one boot into the river so that water splashed up towards her feet.

She squealed loudly and suddenly she was grabbing his arm and clambering up his back - just like when she climbed people when fighting.

He just laughed.

She stopped, half hanging off his back. "What?!" she exclaimed, realising what had happened.

"You climbed me like a tree," he laughed, gripping one of her knees that was around his side.

She immediately dropped away from him and he turned, only for her to slap him on the arm.

"You're an evil man!" She told him, her face flushed as she slapped his arm again.

He waved off the weak attack and chuckled.

His radio earpiece buzzed and Halling's voice spoke in his ear. " _Oneakka, is everything alright down there_?" Halling asked worriedly.

Oneakka tapped his link to open the connection. "Everything is fine. Seeal almost fell into the river."

"I did not!" Seeal protested loudly and swatted grumpily at his arm again.

"There's a hut along the river we're just going to check out, but otherwise there's nothing here," Oneakka continued to Halling.

" _There is nothing useful on the sensor station either_ ," Halling replied. " _They did record some atmosphere and orbital scans when they were monitoring the crash site to check for residual radiation from the former Cruiser's engines. I have made a copy for us to take back with us_."

"Good idea," Oneakka replied. "We'll be back up in a few minutes."

" _Understood_ ," Halling replied and the link went silent.

Oneakka closed his link and turned to see Seeal glaring at him.

"That wasn't funny," she stated.

"I found it very funny," he disagreed, chuckling again at the memory.

"Evil man," she accused him. "I'm never talking to you again." With that she stomped off towards the hut, keeping well away from the water's edge. "Let's look at this toilet hut and get out of here."

"That sounds like talking to me," Oneakka pointed out at he followed her.

"You need to learn some manners," she replied over her shoulder.

"I think you need to learn what 'never' means," he argued as he followed her shapely form along the river.

Honestly, she had killed a Wraith Queen but she was afraid of little fish!

He lengthened his strides so that he caught up with her, falling into step with her, walking on her left so he was between her and the water. Her cheeks were still flushed, the air of embarrassment a practical cloud around her; it was a very new look for her. He grinned at her profile.

She glared round at him, but he could see that she wasn't dangerously angry.

"Stop laughing," she told him. "If I had fallen in and those fish had killed me, I would have made sure to have come back and haunt you _every_ day for the rest of your life; and I would be in the shape of a deadly fish with massive teeth," she threatened.

"That seems quite an elaborate revenge plan," he replied, amused at the picture she painted. "You were never in any danger."

"That's not the point," she objected, her pace so fast that they were almost at the hut.

"I would _never_ have let you fall in," he assured her, which was surely obvious.

She looked at him out of the corner of her eyes, dark eyes frowning still, but he sensed that he'd said the right thing. As if he would have let her fall; she was just annoyed that he knew her little phobia now and that he'd so successfully tricked her. She'd actually squealed! That was a victory he wasn't going to forget in a long time, or let her forget.

The radio link in Oneakka's ear abruptly activated.

" _Honoured Elite_ ," Inifee's voice arrived with a sudden sharp tone, " _I'm getting some strange readings up here_."

Oneakka stopped abruptly, his hand lifting to his link.

" _What readings, Inifee_?" Halling asked first over the transmission.

" _They're building_ ," Inifee replied.

Oneakka turned sharply on the spot, his mind turning fast. "Where are you, Inifee?" He called into his link as he immediately started racing back the way he and Seeal had come.

" _I'm in_..." Inifee's voice was cut through with static.

" _Inifee_?" Halling called, his voice sounding slightly winded, no doubt because he was making his way to the lift platform to get up to the surface.

"... _low orbit...coming around...es...my..."_ Inifee replied, his voice noticeably alarmed even through the clearly increasing static.

Horribly familiar broken static.

"Get the ship back down to us," Oneakka ordered Inifee as he powered through shrubs, pushing leaves out of his way, aware of Seeal running just behind him.

 _"...m...ou...in...en..._ " Inifee's report was completely indecipherable now.

"Wraith shit," Oneakka cursed as he raced up the first incline in the series of plateaus.

Up above, he could see the lift platform rising, Halling inside.

The panicked fear for Halling's safety returned in a rush.

"Halling, we're on our way up," Oneakka shouted into the link as he ran. "Don't go up onto the surface without us."

000000  
TBC


	28. The Impending Loss

**Chapter 28 – The Impending Loss**

Teyla paced across the short distance at the back of Atlantis' Control Room.

The atmosphere in the room was tense and silent apart from the usual discussions such an operational centre required, but even those conversations were quiet and subdued.

All were waiting...

Waiting for the Portal to dial.

It would be either the Facility, Athos, or those that held John.

Teyla lifted her wrist to consult her Earth timepiece, as she had been doing obsessively for the last hour. The minutes were ticking away in a fashion that was somehow both achingly slow but frighteningly fast at the same time.

She was aware of each of her breaths as she stopped her pacing and looked forward, over Si' and Dr Zelenka's heads, towards the front of the room.

Colonel Carter stood quiet ahead of the front consoles, General O'Neill and Colonel Sumner flanking her shoulders. None of them were talking, they were simply waiting.

There was nothing else to do.

They could all only wait for news from inside the Alliance, or to be forced to watch John be tortured once again. Perhaps even killed live in front of their eyes.

Angry, frustrated tears threatened to fill Teyla's eyes.

She turned, putting her back to the quiet and stoically patient room.

Facing the back wall where no one could see her face directly, Teyla closed her eyes and willed herself calm.

The panic shook her breath and her mind kept stubbornly circling round the same thoughts, analysing timings and theories. There were no answers to them; no new idea arriving from the obsessive worrying that might stop what she might soon be forced to watch.

She had no way to save John yet; there was nothing new she could follow, demand, threaten, or attack for him.

All she could do was wait. The next step was entirely out of her hands.

Her only hope was that the Facility would dial in first, having located exactly where Kolya's people were holding John. If he was truly being held in Alliance space, then at least that meant she could call upon assistance, yet even that truth was limited today.

After she and Colonel Carter had spoken to Massa in the Facility, supplying him with everything the Elite needed to search the links network, she had then dialled into Athos. Though the search of the network would be thorough and accurate, she still wanted the Honour Guard involved and using their own connections and intel.

Vakalis had been as efficient as ever, but, whilst he had been talking with her, he had received the news that the border had once again been breached. The unknown Hive ship had once again reappeared within Alliance territory. It had been an outlying sensor satellite that had apparently sent up the alert from out near the border, which was fortunately an area mostly devoid of habitable planets. However, it would mean that the entire Alliance would now be focused on that danger rather than helping her find John.

Vakalis promised he would do all he could.

Massa and the technicians in the Facility would keep working hard to trace the links network, regardless of the crisis, but...

She had never felt so useless or so stressed. She could feel her heart pumping in her chest, vibrating uncomfortably through her ribcage. She had spent a lifetime in battle situations, regularly facing stressful situations that most would do anything to avoid. She had stood on the brink of battles in which she had been hopelessly outnumbered by Wraith ready to tear the life-force from her, but she had not felt this way.

The instinctive fear for her own life had faded many years ago. It was part of an Elite warrior's training to face the truth of one's mortality and be ready to throw oneself into the fire of war. Any who could not do that, did not complete their training, or did not live long enough for it to become a bigger problem.

Even caring for fellow warriors took on a different shade of emotional response for Elite. She would do anything she could to protect those she worked with, those who were her Elite family. Yet, she knew that they had chosen the same life as she had, and therefore their deaths, of which she had faced before many times, did not have the same sharp fearful response wrapped around them. If Si, Halling, Oneakka, or any of those of her Elite family were to fall in battle tomorrow, she would weep and she would grieve for them profoundly, but she knew that they had chosen their life's work. She would know that they had given their lives for a noble cause and that there were vast numbers of people alive today thanks to the work they had done so far in their lives.

But, John...

This felt very different. This was not facing her own demise, it was facing his.

It was the prospect of having to watch him die painfully at the hands of a Wraith while she was completely powerless to stop it. It would be knowing that she had failed him. That her last memories of him might be of watching him withering away into a hollowed dried husk and his body discarded without care.

And it would be knowing that he would be killed for the simple sake of Kolya's advancement, part of his sick twisted determination to rise to power over his people. He was going to murder John as if John were nothing more than a card to be played in a game.

She blinked her eyes quickly, willing the tears away. They were not helping. She needed to be focused, be calm. Be an Elite.

Except, she didn't feel like one right now.

She felt like a wife about to lose her husband.

How many women had she witnessed crying over the bodies of their lost loves? How many tears sobbed over the dead? How many had she had not been able to save over all these years?

What if John was to become one of the fallen?

00000

Long Sleep slid to a halt in the middle of the corridor, the air whistling around him, rushing down the length of the flickering space ahead of him. Drones, some clearly injured, ran towards him and the entranceway in which he stood. Behind them, Long Sleep could see gases, steam, and boiling nourishment fluid splattering down the corridor.

He could actually see the long thin fissures along the distant end of the corridor, air and the steam rushing towards them, leaking out into the vacuum outside. The hull was breached; not enough for them all to be blown out there, but enough to destabilise this entire section of the Hive, bursting membranes, fluid tubes and power lines.

The wailing alarm echoed loud in his ears around the air roaring past him down towards the vacuum outside the cracks.

"Out! Out!" Long Sleep shouted again to the drones still to make it out of the section.

The Hive was trying to seal off the section, but the flickering and unsteady power supply meant it was taking time. The delay was worrying considering the importance of sealing damaged sections, but it was allowing those still inside the section the chance to escape before all the air was lost to space outside.

Long Sleep reached out a hand towards one drone almost to him and helped drag the large and clearly injured male through and then down to the decking. As others dragged the drone safely out of the way, Long Sleep turned back to those still running towards him down the damaged corridor.

The decking abruptly lurched under Long Sleep and he felt the shift of gravity, which suggested that the ship was pulling away from the conflicting pull of a planetary body. Had they jumped into orbit of a planet? He had had no time to find out where the new jump had brought them, as the results had been alarming quick and damaging on the Hive. Even if they were in orbit of a planet, this was hardly a good time to put the ship through dramatic manoeuvres.

The doorway around him abruptly started to close, the webbing finally gaining enough power to start to shut. Long Sleep snapped his arm back out of the way as the webbing began to slide together from the frame of the entrance way, only to run out of power at the last minute. A drone, still trapped on the other side, tried reaching through the remaining small open space in the webbing. Long Sleep set his hands on the webbing, hoping to push it apart, though he made sure not to put his fingers between the webbing's edges. The drone reached its hand through the space, but Long Sleep felt the webbing shudder, the decking shifting under his feet again, and the webbing slid out of his hands and slammed shut to finally seal the breached section.

The drone's severed hand dropped to the decking, still twitching as it landed by Long Sleep's boots.

His eyes on the dying extremity, Long Sleep realised that he was panting and so worked to catch his breath. He drew in the now fully oxygenated air around him and his ears popped uncomfortably, the air re-pressurising.

Steam and the smell of blood rushing up into his nose, he turned. "Clear this section!" He shouted at the drones and warriors stupidly still packed in the corridor behind him. "The power is unstable!"

They seemed to understand what he was saying, but their sickly minds were not moving all that fast to fully assess the danger they were in.

He pushed through a group of slowly reacting drones, and raced down the corridor behind them.

"Clear the section. The breach may spread and power is unstable," he shouted as he ran past some more blank looking warriors.

He had hoped to find a way to ensure that he could sabotage the power lines in this part of the Hive, but it appeared that it was hardly going to be all that difficult.

There was a regional power nodule just around the next corner; if he could damage it beyond repair, this entire quadrant of the ship would lose power. That would cut off power to both engine pods but, most importantly, the new evil drive.

He rounded the corner to find a massive crack broken through the floor of the corridor. A warrior was pulling himself up out of it, the corridor on the level below visible as Long Sleep jumped over the hole.

"Evacuate this section," Long Sleep shouted as he ran on.

It was hardly going to be difficult now to enact his plan.

The regional power nodule's maintenance chamber entranceway ahead, Long Sleep rushed inside to find one Keeper already here. The Keeper looked round, his face coated in nervous sweat and he appeared to be struggling to assess what he should do about the blinking panels around the chamber.

"Shut it down," Long Sleep ordered without slowing until he slid to a hurried stop at the main panel.

"Yes, Keeper," the warrior agreed with obvious relief and pressed his hand into the main command panel.

Long Sleep ran his eyes quickly over the blinking soft glowing lights and the flickering holographic display. Most of the nodule's main power lines that ran out from this point, feeding power to this quadrant of the Hive, were nearly all buckled or breached, and some were even on fire according to the display.

At the other Keeper's touch, the nodule started powering down, the lights overhead dimming, and the display showed an immediate reaction. The lines that had been struggling were dimming and fading.

It wouldn't be nearly enough though.

The other Keeper turned away to see to the emergency power cells, so Long Sleep set his hand to the Hive link and commanded the right subtle sequence to surge renewed power back into the nodule. It was the wrong sequence, one that all Keepers knew not to do, especially if the regional nodule was damaged. Today, however, it was just what Long Sleep needed and it would seem entirely in keeping with the current damage.

The reaction happened immediately, the display lighting up with a flash of light and the nodule in the next chamber exploded within its housing.

00000

The air whipped aggressively around Halling and he lifted his arm to cover his face as he looked up into the faintly orange coloured thin atmosphere of the Arkinian moon.

" _...in...now, Honou...Elite_ ," Inifee's voice cut through static into Halling's ear as he felt the air moving as the Ancestral ship landed close by. With the cloaking shield in place, he could not tell where the ship was, but the air displaced by the ship's approach was obvious.

Halling looked back over his shoulder towards the gouge in the moon's surface that allowed entrance into the water caverns beneath, but Oneakka and Seeal were still on their way up to the surface.

The air started to settle, but there was still nothing to see of the Ancestral ship. He waited, knowing Inifee would be opening the back hatch and quickly provide the location of the ship.

" _...up there_?" Oneakka's voice added into Halling's ear.

" _I am here_ ," Inifee's voice arrived alongside Oneakka's but also off to the right and Halling looked round to see the top half of Inifee appearing out of thin air.

Halling rushed towards him and Inifee held out an arm. Halling caught hold of the offered forearm and allowed the angle of Inifee's body to guide him as to where the open back hatchway would be. His boots met the secure metal surface and he released Inifee's arm and strode up into the welcoming warmth of the inside of the Ancestral ship.

"I'm onboard," Halling stated into his link as he looked back towards the exit out of the caverns, waiting for the others to appear so he could guide them to the ship.

" _The link is clearer_ ," Oneakka reported over the connection, his voice winded from running up from the floor of the cavern.

"The Hive is moving away from orbit," Inifee supplied from where he was hurrying back to his pilot seat. "It appeared exactly at those ordinates I was scanning. If it hadn't been for the radiation appearing first and warning me, the Hive would have crushed me as it came through."

" _Came through_?" Seeal's breathless voice entered over the conversation. " _There was a doorway_?"

"Damned well looked like an opening," Inifee replied, and it was one of the first times that Halling could recall hearing Inifee swear. In fact, Inifee looked slightly shaken still; clearly it had been a very close encounter with the Hive. "I'm guessing it was too low in orbit and immediately started moving up and away."

" _We're up_ ," Oneakka stated and Halling saw him and Seeal appear out of the cavern's entrance.

"This way," Halling called as he stepped one leg out of the ship to the moon's surface, partially revealing himself out of the cloaking shield.

Oneakka and Seeal ran quickly towards him, both looking red faced from their fast run. They had made it up here in quick time.

Halling stretched out a hand towards Oneakka as he fast approached, and his friend caught his arm and Halling stepped back, doing what Inifee had done for him, and guided Oneakka up onto the lowered hatchway. Releasing Oneakka's forearm, Halling shifted aside to repeat the same for Seeal, but saw that she had caught hold of the back of Oneakka's holster and had followed him inside the ship that way.

The two both safely boarding, Halling followed them into the back of the ship and set his hand against the Ancestral panel to trigger the back hatchway to close.

"Where is it now?" Oneakka asked Inifee as he and Seeal hurried into the forward section.

"I've got it on sensors still," Inifee reported. "It's holding just out from the moon."

"Did it detect you?" Oneakka asked next as Halling watched the hatchway close.

"Back is sealed," Halling reported and then hurried forward to join the conversation.

"There was no indication that they detected me, but I headed down here as soon as I avoided the collision with their hull," Inifee explained.

"Can you show me the readings you took?" Seeal asked from the seat across the aisle from Inifee, Oneakka stood between them. Halling moved in close behind Oneakka's shoulder to see the Ancestral display shifting to show several sets of energy readings.

Seeal had her computer tablet on her lap, the previously recorded radiation and data across the smaller screen. "It looks exactly the same as what we've seen before, but less static filled."

"It certainly sounded full of static," Halling noted.

"I was so close to the Hive that the radiation just blasted through even the clearer links frequencies we've been using," Inifee explained.

"The Ancestral sensors still picked up far more than any of our other sensors previously," Seeal supplied. "It's recorded a hell of a lot more in fact, but it all still matches what we've seen before. I'd say it's the same Hive."

"Take us up," Oneakka ordered Inifee.

"Up as in to the Hive?" Seeal asked worriedly as Inifee started lifting the ship up from the moon's surface.

"We have to be sure it's the same one," Oneakka explained, his eyes on the quickly shifting view outside.

"If we stay in low orbit, we should be able to scan it," Inifee suggested.

"I'm sure that will help protect us from the thing's weapons if it turns out that they can detect this ship," Seeal put in sarcastically, though it was true enough.

"We haven't found anything that can detect this ship through the Ancestral cloaking shield," Oneakka told her.

"Until the one time you do," Seeal countered.

Halling tuned out what sounded like it might become renewed bickering; apparently they could fall into it even in such a demanding situation. The view outside the ship shifted darker as the stars became more visible and, just ahead, a distinct lump of a shape was highlighted on the Ancestral window display. The image of the Hive was immediately pulled forward in the display, the ship's sensors providing a magnified image with various labels and data appearing around it, all in the Ancestral language.

"The hull looks identical to the other scans," Seeal supplied quickly. "But..."

Halling saw what had made her pause. There was what looked like a trail of vapour, and possible Wraith bodies, floating away from one section of the Hive.

"The hull is breached," Inifee supplied the translation displayed across the window. "I'm reading atmosphere leaching out from several small points, but that one is the biggest."

"It's damaged," Oneakka said thoughtfully and Halling suspected that he already knew what his friend was thinking.

If it was damaged and they could ground it here...

"These sensors are picking up _far_ more detail about the Hive than we've done so far," Seeal said with clear admiration in her voice. "Inifee, can you zoom into that part?"

The image shifted immediately to where she was pointing.

"How did you do that so fast?" She asked Inifee.

"I just think it," Inifee explained quickly.

Halling leant forward against the back of Inifee's seat. The Ancestral display outlined the image of the Hive with sorts of data readings and labels, but there was one area brightly outlined and flashing. "The new tech?"

"We guessed that was housed in that extra lump, but this ship's sensors are picking up the actual tech inside the Hive," Seeal added, pointing towards the outline on the display. "It's not just data either, it's labelled it. What do the labels mean?" She added with a frustrated tone.

"I'm not fluent at all in the Ancestral language," Inifee replied. "I think one word means 'engine'."

"It _is_ a drive then," Oneakka concluded.

"And these sensors recognise it," Seeal added. "Maybe the Ancestors knew this tech."

"Maybe it is Ancestral tech," Inifee said. "Mayb...wait!"

The display changed, showing flashing lights and outside Halling saw the glow of the Hive's engine pods dim.

"Its engines are dying," Inifee reported quickly.

The display shifted again, displaying information in charts and graphs now.

"It's losing power throughout the back part of the ship," Oneakka noted what they were all seeing.

In the displays, several graphs dropped to zero.

"The engines are completely down," Inifee concluded. "Including the new drive."

Oneakka turned and Halling looked round into his friend's hopeful blue eyes.

"If it heals up and jumps away..." Oneakka needed to say nothing more.

This was an opportunity they couldn't miss.

0000

John stood waiting as the Genii goons approached his cell.

After a long nap on the cold floor, he gotten some of his strength back, but it still felt like he had the galaxy's worst hangover. His legs held him up, but it kind of took an effort to keep the rest of his body above his legs. Still, he had enough left in him to put up a fight.

He watched as one goon unlocked and opened the cell door.

"Out," the goon ordered, waving his stunner in a vague path to show which way he wanted John to walk. As if there was any confusion in that area.

John thought about resisting again, but considering the effort required just to stand right now, and the other armed goons watching, it wouldn't be all that smart.

Now, if the damn Wraith had agreed to team up, then maybe there would have been a chance.

John headed out of his cell, but he moved a little slower than needed. Best they think he was feeling worse than he was.

As he stepped out of the cell, he glanced to the left to see that they were getting the Wraith out of its cell at the same time. The tall green faced creature stepped out to stand level with John and its alien slit eyes looked round at him.

John looked away, annoyed with himself for the tremble of nervous fear the thing's eyes made him feel.

The feeding mark began to sting again.

So this was probably going to be the last time he'd be going through this routine of walking to the torture room. And there weren't even any hopefully sounds of Teyla and the others beating down the door to rescue him.

He reconsidered resisting. Maybe it would be better to die fighting in here, not strapped to that dentist chair.

"Move!" the closest goon ordered.

John glanced round at the idiot. The stunner was within easy reach, the guy standing far closer than he had before. Maybe the hangover ruse was working and –

The punch was pretty light, but it still took John by surprise. He stumbled a little to the right, his left cheekbone complaining instantly from the impact.

"Move!" the guard repeated and shoved at John's back.

Cupping his wounded cheek, John glared round at the goon. "Alright, since you asked so nicely," he muttered as he started forward.

The other goons were watching him carefully and at any annoyingly sensible distance from him now. He headed towards the door, which took him right past the waiting Wraith. Keeping his chin up in his best Teyla impression, John strode past the Wraith without looking at the thing.

He swore the damn feeding mark started to throb though.

Through the doorway into the cold stone corridor outside, all the goons and the Wraith followed along behind him on his long march to his fate.

He guessed they didn't need to lead the way anymore; he knew the route.

All that was missing was someone shouting "Dead man walking".

0000

Oneakka didn't need to explain his plan to Halling.

"The local satellites will have detected the Hive's arrival," Halling considered.

"And the Fleet's not far away," Oneakka added. "They'll be responding already."

"They could be hours away for all we know," Halling noted though.

"So Inifee heads out to meet them and leads the Fleet straight back here, while we ground the ship for good and kill the Queen," Oneakka summarised the plan.

It was a simple and common enough plan for the Elite. Albeit on this occasion there was this new tech, but the readings said it was powered down, the Hive clearly badly damaged from the radiation. The scientists had surmised the Hive would suffer damage from repeated use of the new tech, but clearly it was far worse than they had predicted.

"What if the power is restored and the ship jumps away?" Halling worried.

"We make sure their power is down for good and it won't be able to," Oneakka answered.

"It is likely that the Hive is highly irradiated," Inifee put in from his displayed readings.

"We're not actually going to board the Hive?!" Seeal exclaimed from the other front seat.

"Are the radiation levels too dangerous to board?" Halling asked Inifee.

"According to this, the radiation stopped being emitted when the new tech lost power," Inifee reported. "So there's no active radiation source, but the ship is bound to be irradiated. Though, admittedly, these scans are not throwing up any more danger warnings. I'd say it's safe to board for a short while, but more prolonged exposure could start to cause cellular damage."

"The brains back in the Facility said we should be able the handle the Wraith tech after the radiation, and our sensor pads will alert us on excessive radiation exposure," Oneakka explained. "We can survive in there long enough to stop the Hive from escaping."

"Once I alert the Fleet, I can come back and collect you right away," Inifee supplied.

"Wouldn't it be smarter to just fly closer and use whatever weapons there are on this ship to take out the engines permanently?" Seeal objected to the plan.

"We don't know if the new tech drive can work independently of the usual drive pods," Oneakka pointed out. "If it heals and activates again, the Hive could still jump away."

"Not if I'm right and they have to head back round towards the doorway to leave," she argued.

"We don't know if your theory is correct," Halling pointed out.

"This is our chance to make sure the Hive doesn't get away," Oneakka stated the obvious conclusion. "Take us in, Inifee."

"Yes, Honoured Elite," Inifee responded instantly.

"Slowly," Halling warned unnecessarily. "Just in case they are able to detect us."

Inifee nodded, the Hive already growing larger.

"The link frequencies we thought would work through the radiation weren't working when Inifee was up close to the Hive," Halling added, "so it's highly unlikely they'll work inside the Hive with such high levels of residual radiation."

"I ended up patching the links through this ship's communications system to speak to you," Inifee explained. "There's a chance I could communicate with you that way while you're on the Hive."

Oneakka nodded as the Wraith ship began to fill the front view. Inifee was taking a careful path in approaching the Hive, angling in from behind and towards the section they knew had lost all power.

"This is crazy!" Seeal complained from her seat. "You're experts on grounding Hive ships, isn't there some important part of the ship we can just hit to take out all of their power? Stop even the new drive from powering up? Surely this ship has advanced weapons and these sensors could target a specific place in the Hive."

He understood her protesting; to those outside of the Elite ranks, boarding a Hive ship was considered madness. What she didn't appreciate was that this was common enough work for him and Halling. A large part of being an Elite warrior was boarding Hives and Cruisers, killing their power and dealing with the Queen at their heart. This was his job.

"The most efficient way to take out the internal power of a Wraith Hive is to target their distribution nodes network from the inside of the ship," he explained for her.

"And we can't do that from the outside?" She demanded, turned in her seat, glaring up at him.

"Maybe, but we can't risk damaging the new tech," Oneakka replied, looking back out the front. There were no signs that the Hive had detected their approach; good.

They were fast approaching the darkened back corner of the Hive, and it became apparent just how enlarged the Hive's hull had been grown. The previous scans and images didn't do it justice. The hull was truly malformed in the way it had grown so thick, giving it a lumpy and over-weighted appearance. As Inifee ran them alongside the hull, the various pockmarks, cracks, and burns across the hull surface told of the damage it had held against. Much of it wasn't from weapons fire either. Whatever the new drive tech was, it was not kind to the Hive.

"Take us into one of the fighter bays," Oneakka ordered Inifee as the ship moved closer to the Hive's surface.

Inifee nodded as the Ancestral display shifted across the large front window. "I'm detecting structural damage inside the ship now we're closer."

"It must be from the radiation," Seeal supplied. "The new tech must be kicking out more than we've detected, or else they've been running it constantly."

Oneakka ran his eyes over the display. "Good; it should mean their power grid will be easier to sabotage."

"We'll need charges," Halling noted and moved away, heading into the back compartment to gather the necessary supplies.

Outside, the opening into one of the Hive's fighter bays started to fill the view, and Oneakka watched as the entrance gradually grew and finally engulfed them.

"Find a high quiet platform where you can drop us off," Oneakka suggested to Inifee as he considered the unusually packed platforms of Wraith fighters inside the large bay.

"The bay is unusually full," Inifee noted.

"Gathered fighters from other Hives," Oneakka explained. "Probably survivors of the Nest System battle from what we saw of the crashed fighters on Atreus."

Like on the exterior hull, there were clear signs of damage inside the bay, as one corner had suffered significant structural weakness and several platforms had collapsed into a mountain of crushed fighters.

Leaving Inifee to the task of finding a safe landing place in the overly crowded and damaged bay, Oneakka turned away to join Halling in the back section. Only a hand caught lightly at his arm and he turned back to see that Seeal had followed him.

"You can't be serious about this?" She asked, her hand dropping away. "We can't board the Hive."

"Halling and I are going onto the Hive; _you're_ staying with Inifee and getting the Fleet here as quickly as possible," Oneakka told her clearly; there would be no arguing about this. She wasn't trained to face Wraith on their own ships. He had had enough worrying about Halling these past weeks, so he wasn't about to lead her into such a dangerous boarding.

If this wasn't a Wraith ship, he would be happy to swap out Halling for her, keeping Halling safe and trusting her to watch his back. But, this was the Wraith and this was territory that he and Halling knew well.

He continued on towards Halling, who had found the charges and had already fitted them into some extra holsters for them carry onboard.

"You don't know what you'll find on that Hive," Seeal continued to argue though as she followed fast on Oneakka's heels. "That ship has extensive internal damage, it's filled with radiation and you don't know what that'll have done to the Wraith inside. They could be mutated in horrible dangerous ways."

"The Wraith we studied on Atreus showed the usual damage we'd expect from radiation exposure," Oneakka replied logically as he reached Halling, who was holding out one of the special holsters. Oneakka took it and wrapped the belt around his middle, sitting it above his usual holster. The pouches holding the charges could be adjusted along their strap to fit around another holster, so he adjusted them until he had plenty of room to still draw his weapons.

"That ship is a _death-trap_ ," Seeal continued, her voice raising.

He turned back towards her as he quickly checked the clasps of the pouches holding the charges. "This isn't the first time we've done this," he explained calmly to her.

It also wasn't the first time he'd had people react this way to seeing how the Elite operated, but considering her life-long affiliation with survival, this probably looked like absolute insanity to her.

Over her shoulder, he could see that Inifee was raising the ship up higher into one corner of the bay, looking like he might have found a potential landing point.

Halling brushed past slightly, heading to the back hatch to prepare for deployment. Oneakka turned to follow, only Seeal's hands caught at his elbow this time. He paused and looked back round at her.

"This is _suicide_ , Oneakka," she stated, her eyes wide and worried.

Her hands stayed tight around his arm this time, her hands feeling cooler than normal. It would be because of the stressful situation, making blood run away from her extremities.

He looked straight into her dark concerned eyes.

And he felt the faintest tug in his chest at seeing the raw worry in her eyes. It wasn't worry about some criminal scum finding her, or whether a Wraith might kill her, it was fear _for_ him. It reflected much of what he'd been feeling himself for Halling's safety these past weeks, and it found a sharp nerve to strike in his chest.

But, this situation was different. This was an enemy he knew very well and which he and Halling had faced throughout their lives.

He couldn't count how many apparent suicide missions he'd set out on. He'd returned from all of them so far, but it would be stupid to promise her that this wouldn't be the one time that he didn't.

One day it would be his last mission, and one day Halling would face the same. But, today, at least, this was a known quantity. The enemy was adrift and damaged, and the opportunity could not be missed.

This was who he was, which he'd made clear to her before now.

Were he a different man living a different life, seeing her fear might give him pause in walking away from her into such an unpredictable dangerous situation. But, that life, one in which a beautiful woman like Raven could be more than an unexpected friend to him, would never be.

He did this work to give other people the freedom to live their lives in any way they wished. He protected life with each mission he threw himself into, providing freedom for the Alliance and its people.

What better gift could he give The Free One?

"We're Elite," he told her honestly and directly, "this is what we do."

He turned away, gently pulling his arm from her hands, and headed towards the back hatch to stand ready with Halling.

00000  
TBC


	29. The Final Threat

**Chapter 29 – The Final Threat**

"Unscheduled off-world activation!" the man named Chuck called across the subdued Control Room as Atlantis' Portal started to activate.

Teyla turned quickly at the end of her latest pace, adrenaline shooting through her system. At the front of the Control Room, Colonel Carter turned to face Chuck, waiting, as they all were, to learn who it was that was dialling in.

Teyla lifted her arm, consulting the Earth timepiece, and her heart dropped a little. It was almost exactly upon the dreaded hour. Unless the Facility or Vakalis happened to be dialling in at this time by some uncanny coincidence, this would be John's captors.

Lowering her arm, Teyla looked forward to find her gaze meeting Colonel Carter's. The City Lead's expression was outwardly determined and serious, but Teyla sensed far more in Colonel Carter's direct prolonged eye contact. In the other woman's gaze, Teyla saw the deep regret at what they were about to face and the silent acknowledgement that there was little that could be done now.

Colonel Carter had been very clear, though equally remorseful, about the stance that Atlantis had to take. Teyla understood, for the Elite would do just the same. Of course those from Earth would not abandon Atlantis to the Genii masquerading as Ancestor Worshippers intending to return lost property to their own kind.

The mere prospect of what someone like Kolya would do with the power of Atlantis at his control worried Teyla deeply, but she didn't need to consider that outcome. Her fears centred purely on John and what was about to happen to him. Colonel Carter felt the same, her eyes full of the strength of a seasoned warrior, but also the compassion that John's people displayed so openly.

Teyla nodded to the City Lead, conveying her understanding and mutual agreement, and then looked away; the reflection of her own fears and guilt a little too sharp.

Teyla focused her attention on the three men sat in front of her. Si, Dr McKay, and Dr Zelenka were all tapping away on their respective computers and consoles as they prepared for the new incoming transmission. It was highly unlikely that they would be able to identify anything new in this upcoming transmission, but it was still possible that a new clue could be found. Anything to help find John. Not that anything found would be in time to save him...

The explosive rush of the opening wormhole echoed around the room, and Teyla forced herself to take a deep breath. Tried and tested professional calm gradually started settling over her as she watched Colonel Carter turn to Chuck, the room seeming to hold its collective breath. Teyla drew in the growing calm; the former nerve-racking anxiety slipping away in the face of an enemy to finally face. There was no more waiting; the hour was upon them and she would face it as an Elite.

The small console screen in front of Si shifted, drawing Teyla's attention swiftly down to it and she saw the signal start to register.

"We have the same video feed incoming," Chuck announced what Teyla had already seen on Si' console.

It was John's captors.

Beside Si, Dr McKay dropped his head and Teyla heard him exhale a heavy shaky breath. She felt the compulsion to reach out and place her hand on his shoulder to offer him some shared sense of comfort, but she did not know the man well enough to do so.

Dr Zelenka's screen abruptly displayed the face of the Kolya's man that held John, while, at the front of the room, Colonel Carter and Colonel Sumner stepped up to the large screen that flickered to life.

" _Atlantis, do you hear me_?" The horrible man's voice asked, sounding frustratingly in control and arrogant.

Teyla pulled her electronic pad out of her pocket and consulted the information that she had already memorised. The man's name was Pranos and he had a long history with Kolya. Vakalis had been very thorough in his research on all those they had identified in the previous transmissions.

Both of Pranos' parents had died some time ago and his single sibling had died a young man in battle against the Wraith. Pranos had no children and had never appeared to have formed any long lasting relationships. He had instead dedicated his life to serving in the Genii military. He had served in the main military force for the start of his career, but had then been promoted into the more specialised Genii forces, which was where he had started to work closely with Kolya. With a strong aptitude for science, Pranos had been a very useful and capable soldier. He had also become one of the most loyal members of Kolya's battalion, having turned down several promotions so that he could remain part of Kolya's strike teams.

All of this clearly explained why Kolya had selected him for this task – or perhaps it had been Pranos who had volunteered. Pranos had nothing to lose, no lingering personal ties to the Genii homeworld, and he had already abandoned his military career to join Kolya in exile. Instead, his loyalty – his family – was Kolya and those others in the background who had dedicated their excommunication to assisting Kolya's return to their homeworld. It made Pranos a very dangerous individual in this circumstance, for he was clearly never going to betray Kolya and it was highly unlikely that he would cower to threats against his own life considering his specialised military history.

Still, Teyla had a few ideas of some buttons that she could push in hopes of persuading him.

"We hear you," Colonel Carter began the discussion.

" _I am assuming that you have reconsidered the value you place on Major Sheppard's life and have nearly completed your evacuation of the Ancestral City_?" Pranos asked.

As he had before, Pranos' face filled the view on the screen, hiding everything behind him; denying them view of John until he decided it was time to show his captive.

Teyla fixed her eyes on Pranos' face. She hated the man. The raging hate was sour tasting in her throat and she forced herself to swallow and regain her calm. Focusing on such blinding emotion never helped in battle, and this was a battle. It was a battle of words and threats, and with the captive Wraith as the weapon that would deliver the final blow.

Teyla lifted her gaze up from Pranos' displayed face to watch Colonel Carter take a breath and prepare to deliver the words she clearly hated to voice.

"We will not surrender Atlantis to you," Colonel Carter supplied Atlantis' unyielding stance, " _Pranos_ ," she finished, revealing that they knew who he was.

If Pranos cared that he had been identified, he showed no obvious reaction in his expression. It was likely that he had expected as much considering Atlantis' contract with the Elite; still, Teyla wished he had at least blinked or winced.

"And we know who you work for," Colonel Carter continued. "May I speak with Commander Kolya?" She asked almost politely.

Teyla watched Pranos closely.

He lifted his eyebrows in what was clearly a fabricated expression of surprise. " _I do not know where Kolya is, Colonel Carter. As far as I know, he was chased off the Genii homeworld by Supreme Leader Cowen years ago_."

His use of Cowen's polite and full title surprised Teyla almost as much as his decision not to use Kolya's military title; doing so was tantamount to a powerful insult of Kolya from a Genii so loyal to him. Pranos was very dedicated to his mission it seemed, for he was being very careful of the language he was using. To protect Kolya from any blame, Pranos was distancing him from his Commander in every way he could.

"Really?" Colonel Carter asked doubtfully, having easily seen through the lie. "Our information shows that you abandoned your people to join Kolya outside the Alliance and have been working for him since."

Teyla almost smiled at the faint twitch in Pranos' cheek in reaction to the word 'abandoned'. Colonel Carter had read his military heart well it seemed and Pranos had shown his weakness. He believed himself honourable in some twisted way – he no doubt believed that Kolya had been illegally excommunicated and denied his rightful place.

" _You are not the one to speak of abandonment Colonel Carter_ ," Pranos replied with a touch of anger in his voice as he stepped aside, finally revealing the rest of the room behind him once more.

John was sat chained in the same chair as before, Genii guards behind him and the Wraith looming to one side.

" _Since it is you who are abandoning Major Sheppard to his fate_ ," Pranos finished.

John shook his head aggressively at Pranos' statement, making it clear that he did not agree that Colonel Carter was abandoning him. Teyla almost felt a lifting moment of levity to see how faithfully determined her John was to ensure Colonel Carter would not blame herself for his fate.

"No, Pranos," Colonel Carter argued, her voice hardening, "you are the one threatening Major Sheppard's life and the one commanding a Wraith. We will not abandon Atlantis, but I am prepared to discuss other terms with you."

" _No other terms are acceptable, Colonel_ ," Pranos shook his head.

"Such as returning to you the man who worked as caretaker in your factory," the Colonel continued without a beat.

Pranos tried to hide his reaction, but clearly the capture of the caretaker from Kolya's factory was news to him; which meant that the alert sent out via Kolya's links signal from the factory had not reached wherever Pranos currently held John. The link alert had likely gone straight to Kolya, but if Pranos was indeed inside Alliance space, as they believed, it meant that Kolya had not relayed that information to him yet. Did that mean that they were completely out of touch while Pranos was in Alliance space?

" _I_ _do not know which caretaker you are referring to_ ," Pranos responded.

"I'm surprised considering the massive amount of Kolya's supplies we found in that factory," Colonel Carter replied. "I might be inclined to return those supplies to you along with the caretaker if you release Major Sheppard to us now."

Teyla glanced briefly towards Colonel Carter; they had not discussed releasing the factory's seized supplies, but anything that could be helpful in saving John...

" _I do not know what supplies you speak of, Colonel Carter_ ," Pranos continued his denials. " _But I suggest that you return any recovered Genii supplies to the Genii homeworld, where they belong._ "

He really was keeping to the script to protect Kolya in every way possible.

"I am sure Kolya will be very disappointed to lose those supplies," Colonel Carter attempted to push the point.

" _As I said before, I do not work for Kolya. As far as I know, he was chased off the Genii homeworld many years ago_."

Teyla sighed with frustration at the repeated phrase regarding Kolya; it was clearly well practiced and delivered solely for the recording of this transmission.

"Who do you work for then, Pranos?" Colonel Carter asked.

" _A higher goal_ ," Pranos replied loftily, " _to return the Ancestral property that you have stolen from the people of this galaxy. And I will do whatever is necessary to see that goal accomplished_."

This was getting them nowhere, and Pranos was starting to show signs of frustration of his own. Frustration which would easily boil over into deadly action in regards to John.

It was time for something new.

There would be no more hiding in the shadows while John was being used as a piece of bait.

Teyla strode quickly out from behind the consoles and headed down the Control Room to the large screen where the two Colonels faced Pranos.

"Pranos of the Genii," Teyla stated loudly as she approached, trusting that the sound capture on the large screen would pick up her voice. She was also vaguely aware that she had taken many in the Control Room by surprise, seeing them flinch at her raised voice.

Colonel Sumner, having seen her approaching, moved away from Colonel Carter's side, allowing her space to step up next to the City Lead.

"This is Elite warrior Emmagan," Teyla continued as she faced the almost shockingly large display of Pranos. He could not see her, but it felt right to be at the large screen beside the Colonel.

On the screen, Teyla saw John straighten in his chair, his head lifting at hearing her voice. He was so much larger on this bigger screen that it somehow allowed her to feel closer to him.

"Return my husband to me, NOW!" she commanded sternly, feeling the entirety of her Elite mantle settle over her.

With such a large screen to watch, Teyla was able to see the Genii guards around John react at hearing her voice. She saw them exchange quick worried glances before catching themselves; it suggested that they had not expected her to be part of this situation, which only angered her further. Did they truly think she would abandon her new husband so easily?

" _Honoured Elite_ ," Pranos bowed his head slightly and was clearly not as surprised as those behind him. He and Kolya would have planned for the possibility of her being in Atlantis, but had not perhaps conveyed that to the guards in the background. " _I am surprised to hear that you are in Atlantis; I would have thought you were assisting our people against the Wraith Hive once again invading Alliance territory_."

Teyla ignored the blatant attempt to insult her by suggesting that she was not fulfilling her Elite responsibilities.

"The enemies of peace come in many forms, Pranos," Teyla returned. "Return Major Sheppard to Atlantis now, so that I can return my attention to hunting down the Wraith that threaten all in our territory, including the Genii."

There were further quick worried glances between the guards, one even glancing slightly up towards the ceiling above him; they were worried about the Hive. It was another small piece of evidence suggesting that they were indeed in Alliance territory.

" _I am doing this to protect our people_ ," Pranos replied, " _Those from another galaxy have no right to sit in Atlantis_ -"

"Return Major Sheppard now," Teyla talked over his lies, "or I shall make it my personal mission to hunt down Kolya and all those stood behind you working for him."

The guards now stood straight, eyes wide and their expressions better controlled.

If Pranos was truly a military man at his heart, then he should be motivated to protect those serving alongside him. Threatening him directly would be unlikely to work, but perhaps threatening his precious Kolya directly, and those working with Pranos, might push him to change track. Or perhaps convince those around Pranos to betray him. It was all that Teyla could think to use now.

"The Elite now know each and every one of your names," Teyla continued letting the anger turn her voice steely and cold, "We know your families, your home cities, all those you trained and fought alongside; I will speak with every one you have all ever known and make sure they know that you played a part in murdering an Elite warrior's husband while he was chained to a chair and the Wraith terrorised our territory."

In his chair, John looked up and round to the guards stood around him. On the large screen, she could see the guards all subtly turning their gazes away from John, looking instead to the floor or to the Wraith that they were restraining. The Genii were stubbornly unyielding people in battle, but they were rational and efficient in their work. If she could convince them that it was illogical to continue as they were, that it would damage them and their people's reputation, then perhaps John had a chance.

As she watched them, her words echoing in their ears still, she found her gaze abruptly drawn to the Wraith stood to the side of John. The creature was looking towards the Genii camera with an intense focus that it had not shown before. It was listening to the conversation and the threats with clear understanding.

" _Honoured Elite_ ," Pranos started to reply, snapping her attention back to him, " _I regret that you decided to select a man from another galaxy as your husband, but this is the way this has to-_."

"Do not think for a moment that I am fooled by your fake mission," Teyla talked over him quickly. "The Elite had already determined that Kolya is behind the recent attempts to destabilise the Genii Government and Supreme Leader Cowen's rule, and you are simply part of that mission. We had decided to keep our focus on protecting the Alliance from the Wraith, but clearly we will now need to focus on the Genii with renewed and full vigour."

In his chair, Teyla could see John lift his eyebrows, seemingly impressed by her stern and aggressive threats.

" _Are you threatening the Genii people, Honoured Elite_?" Pranos asked, sounding calm, but there was a definite flush across his face.

"No," Teyla replied sternly and calmly, "I am threatening Kolya, you, those stood behind you, and all the others working with Kolya who are not in view of your camera. You all know who I am and what I am capable of doing. If you choose not to return Major Sheppard, and if you harm him any further, there is nothing that will save you from me."

She let that hang.

"Or you can return Major Sheppard now and I will return my attention to the Wraith and choose to forget that you dishonoured your own people, the Elite, Atlantis, and Athos."

And with that, she ran out of all that she could use.

Would it be enough to break through Pranos' blind loyalty to Kolya though?

"Atlantis will also be prepared to ignore what has happened if you return Major Sheppard to us now," Colonel Carter put in.

Silence hung, the hollow air echoing in Teyla's ears as she watched Pranos considering the offer.

Just off to the side, Teyla became aware of Lieutenants Ford and Cadman stood watching. Both looked drawn and fearful as they waited. Would John be saved or was he going to be killed in front of their eyes?

Teyla swung her gaze back to John on the screen. He was sitting tall, his shoulders back and level despite being strapped to that chair. He looked ever the image of strength and courage.

This couldn't be the last time she saw him...

Why hadn't she kissed him this morning? Why had she put such foolish fears and restraints on her heart?

Tears threatened to hit her suddenly, so she blinked quickly and fixed her gaze back on Pranos.

Pranos cleared his throat and licked his lips; sure signs of nervousness.

" _I am sorry, Honoured Elite_ ," he started and Teyla's heart dropped into her feet, " _But you, and Colonel Carter, have it in your power to save Major Sheppard. Evacuate Atlantis and return it to the people of this galaxy, and you will save his life_."

"Do not do this, Pranos," Colonel Carter commanded. "You cannot take this back."

" _The choice is yours, Colonel Carter. Give us Atlantis_."

On the edge of her vision, Teyla saw Colonel Carter look at her, but Teyla couldn't take her eyes away from John now.

He had his chin high and had the look of a man ready to face his end. How many times had she been forced to see good men and women sacrifice themselves? How could this truly be John's fate?

There had to be another way to save him!

"Will you agree for an exchange?" She asked quickly. "I will take Major Sheppard's place."

Pranos shook his head before she had even finished her offer. " _You are needed to protect our people, Honoured Elite._ " He straightened his back. " _Colonel Carter, I need your final answer now or I will take your silence as confirmation that you are not prepared to save Major Sheppard._ "

John looked so calm, even though she could see his breathing was fast against the white gag around his mouth. He was so brave.

If she could only reach into the screen to save him.

To touch him one last time.

"We will not surrender this city to terrorists," Colonel Carter said, her voice full of regret and inner pain. "If you kill Major Sheppard, it will be an act of war and Atlantis will return in kind."

Pranos lifted his chin and stepped to the side, looking back towards John and the Wraith.

" _Do it, Wraith_ ," Pranos commanded.

Teyla lost all awareness of anything around her as she watched John lift his head, looking up at the Wraith turning towards him; the feeding hand rising.

Only it paused.

Teyla watched in the horrified frozen moment as John stared up at the Wraith and the feeding hand remained lifted but unmoving.

Was the Wraith not going to feed? Why would it not?

But then the Wraith struck, its feeding palm slamming down onto John's upper chest and Teyla was completely helpless to stop it taking John's life in front of her eyes.

0000

Mind Song drew in Sheppard's life-force. It surged up through his arm and into his system with a glorious healing rush. It was warm, succulent, and rich with the Lantean blood.

It would be unlikely that he could get to taste this power again once Sheppard was extinguished. Even the many thousands of years ago during the war with the Lanteans, it had been a treasure to feed upon such rich life-force.

Mind Song's first Queen had tried to keep captured Lanteans as life banks, feeding from them just enough to allow them to recover and allow repeated feedings. But, it had turned out to be very difficult to hold the ancient Lanteans. They had been slippery and dangerously skilled at escaping. Even when kept weakened from feeding, they had still managed to escape into death seemingly at will. Mind Song had even seen one turn into a glowing mist, leaving only its empty clothing behind.

Clearly Sheppard was not able to do what that Lantean had done, but the strength of him was so close to those remembered feedings.

It would be a pity to see Sheppard killed.

After so many long days of overheard whispers about this Human and his capture, it surprised Mind Song that these prey were so quick to sacrifice Sheppard considering his clear importance.

This latest negotiation with Atlantis had revealed another vital part of the puzzle that was Sheppard; he was husband to one of the Armoured Herd's most dangerous warrior class. From what Mind Song recalled, a 'husband' was the Human word for a male mate, and clearly Sheppard's Queen was very angry at him being taken.

Mind Song had not known that those inhabiting Atlantis were tying themselves with the Armoured Herd. It was a concerning development and could have desperate consequences for his own kin. Not that he could do much about that in his current circumstances.

And if Sheppard was mate to an Armoured Herd Queen, did that mean that the Humans were starting to breed new warrior races? Mixing the 'Elite' herd warriors with the powerful Lantean blood? Were they creating an advanced race of Humans to deliver the final destructive attacks against his own kind's remaining territory?

The concept of such measures was not new for the Wraith, for the lineages had bred exclusively to produce specialised strengths and had then cloned them into vast numbers. His own mutated batch had been a mostly failed attempt by his Queen to create new types of warriors as an advantage in the war against the Lanteans.

However, the Humans doing the same was a new worrying development, but, more immediately, the consequences for him were far more dire. Sheppard had suggested that, were his kind to arrive here after he was dead, that they would take out their vengeance upon the Wraith that had killed hm. Now it was very likely that the Human that would arrive would be a violent Elite herd warrior Queen, it was highly likely that he would not survive much longer anyway.

Sheppard had suggested escape; to combine forces to fight their mutual oppressors.

And Sheppard had shown willing to honour such an agreement, unlike most Humans Mind Song had met before.

The life-force shifted into the final stages of its supply, and Mind Song focused on Sheppard beneath his feeding hand. Even at this stage, Sheppard held more strength than most.

It would be enough.

Mind Song pulled his hand from Sheppard's chest, ensuring to seal the wound up a little so that Sheppard would not continue to leach out his life-force.

"Why are you stopping?" The prey called Pranos demanded.

Mind Song turned, looking over his shoulder at the prey. The smell of fear in the room was sweet to Mind Song's nose. Sheppard's Queen had inspired it and it presented new weaknesses that might just help him and Sheppard escape...as long as the prey agreed to allow Sheppard to live a little longer.

"He is near death," Mind Song explained. "Should I finish him?" He asked, ensuring his tone was conciliatory and subservient. He suspected it would be wise to play the part of a weak party and merely a weapon in the eyes of Sheppard's Queen, so that, should she happen to arrive before Mind Song could escape with Sheppard, she might focus first on dealing with the prey rather than him.

Pranos' dull herd eyes dropped to Sheppard, his brain activity almost visible as he assessed the value of keeping Sheppard alive for longer. It would be in his interests to do so, since he had proven so successfully that he was prepared to kill Sheppard, but prey were not always logical.

"Get the creature out of here," Pranos ordered sharply to those around Mind Song.

Mind Song made sure to hide his pleasure at the prey's decision and he remained compliant as they once again shackled the cold metal around his warm and full feeding hand.

"Colonel Carter," Pranos said into his human communication device, "I will allow you one last attempt to agree to save Major Sheppard's life, or at least the very end of it. But, you have only two hours this time."

With that, Mind Song was roughly pulled away from Sheppard, but, with the Lantean power flowing through him, this time he was able to walk easily.

Or perhaps it was the first real taste of hope in his veins that gave him the new spring in his steps.

00000  
TBC


	30. The Approach

**Chapter 30 – The Approach**

In Seeal's opinion, she was watching complete madness.

Two lone Elite going onto an advanced Hive ship that was stuffed full of Wraith, was irradiated with unidentified radiation, and was showing clear signs of serious structure failure.

It was completely crazy.

Of course she'd heard all the stories about the Elite doing this kind of crazy thing; a small group of Elite secretly slipping aboard a Wraith ship unseen to sabotage its engines, killing the Queen at its heart, and stealing Wraith tech. It was legendary, which was exactly the point; these kinds of stories weren't supposed to be accurate. And if they were, the subjects of the stories were supposed to be bizarre abnormally mad people.

Not people she now actually knew and worked with! Not a man who had only minutes ago been teasing her for her entirely understandable dislike of fish.

He had _actually_ laughed. She hadn't heard him do that before, not proper laughter. She hadn't even known he was capable of laughing like that, and especially not with that deep, almost giggling kind of chuckle! That wasn't fair. He wasn't supposed to do that.

Looking like he did - all tough, stubborn, and grouchy - he shouldn't be allowed to have that kind of chuckle and big grin. It wasn't fair on a woman.

What had also been frustratingly annoying was that, in a fleeting moment in which she had felt threatened, she had instinctively turned to Oneakka as a source of protection.

It had all made the moment very embarrassing for her, which he, in turn, had clearly thoroughly enjoyed. It was so typical of him to react in the exact opposite way as he should.

And now, mere minutes later, he was about to walk onto a dangerous Wraith Hive. How could he go from laughing and teasing her to potentially throwing his life away without a second's thought?

Stupid, idiotic man.

"This is a crazy plan," she repeated to Oneakka as he stood next to Halling at the back of the Ancestral ship. Oneakka nodded his head vaguely at her comment, but didn't look round this time.

"I think I have found a deployment point," Inifee unhelpfully announced from the front section of the ship. "These top corner platforms appear to be set aside for fighter repairs and one platform is empty."

"Any Wraith life-signs in the immediate area?" Halling called down the ship to Inifee.

"None in the corridors leading off these platforms," Inifee reported.

"Status of the new drive?" Oneakka asked next.

Seeal turned to watch the front screen's holographic display pull out of the immediate area of the Hive and then focus in on the outlined new tech within ship. These Ancestral sensors were ridiculously impressive; the computing systems and sensitivity of the scanners was shocking.

"It is still without power," Inifee reported. "I am also reading further power failures across another sector of the Hive."

"Good," Oneakka stated. "Take us to the platform."

Inifee already was, the dark flat area disappearing under the ship's belly as he slid the Ancestral ship into the limited space above the platform and then began to turn the ship on the spot. Seeal shook her head at the unfolding madness as much as at the new display of this impressive ship's abilities. How could it turn in such a small space so easily? And even if it could, how was it not sending out all kinds of air disturbances and signals to the Wraith that someone had snuck aboard?

Slowly the rest of the fighter bay slid back into view, the ship now looking out from the repair platform.

"I'm holding two metres above the platform in case of structural weakness," Inifee announced.

"Go," Oneakka said loudly and Seeal snapped her head back round to see Halling striking the large trigger to open the back hatch of the ship.

"Seeal," Inifee called to her, "you need to stand inside this front section, in case we need to seal the inner hatch quickly."

That made sense as a protocol, so she took quick backwards steps until she was over the inner hatch's threshold, but she kept her eyes on the lowering back hatch. She realised she had one of her newly given stunners in one hand, ready in case the Wraith should discover the ship, but she couldn't remember drawing it from her holster.

Beyond the waiting Elite, the back wall of the fighter bay was revealed as the hatch lowered and the air shifted with a strange organic smell.

This was crazy.

She felt her shoulders tensing tightly. She knew the principles of a cloaking shield, but she still couldn't quite fathom how the Ancestral tech could so effectively conceal every power reading and heat signature. They were inside a Wraith Hive with the back door of the ship open and the Wraith had no clue they were here.

Well, that was surely going to change once the Elite started storming the hallways and blowing up their power systems. Not that she and Inifee would stick around to find out, as they were supposed to just head off back outside to go find the Fleet.

The back hatch, now fully open, formed an extension of the ship's floor and Seeal watched, wide-eyed, as Halling walked out along it. Her eyes slipped to the edges of the limited view around the hatch, worried that a Wraith would appear at any moment to leap into the ship.

Except no Wraith leapt in and, instead, Halling crouched down along the edge of the back hatch and was the one to leap down out of view.

Then Oneakka strode out along the hatch after him, moving quickly to where Halling had crouched.

Seeal leant forward, her free hand tight on the frame of the inner hatch around her.

Oneakka crouched swiftly, one hand full of a bulky gun and the other pale hand landing on the back hatch, ready to swing down out of view.

And possibly out of her life for good.

She had only felt the same sudden rush of panic for a male twice before in her life, and both those men had been killed; her father had been murdered by the Glisi, left dead and bloodied in the snow, and the young pit fighter who had been her first passionate affair as a teenager. He had died in the pit, dead at the hands of his own arrogance as much as at the hands of the other fighter.

The problem with Oneakka was that he had no arrogance about what he was about to do; no, he was just doing it because of who he was: a stupid, brave hero.

She realised that she hadn't properly thanked him for his intervention in her life; for being the annoyingly surprising friend who had tempted her to turn to the Elite for the new direction in her life.

He tensed his body, about to swing down onto the Hive, only he glanced up at the last moment.

She locked her eyes with his down the length of the Ancestral ship.

Then he looked away and jumped down into the darkness outside.

00000

Inifee had selected the perfect entry point.

Tucked into the far top corner of the fighter bay, there were no immediate eyes watching as Oneakka followed Halling as they made their way along the mezzanine pathway lining the back wall of the bay.

The lack of any Wraith was useful enough, but somewhat strange. The closest platforms were clearly being used to house damaged fighters, the burnt and missing sections of the fighters' wings and tails obvious, but none of them had been actually repaired. One fighter had its entire side removed and had been left that way. The Wraith were usually very quick and efficient in repairing their fighters so that the maximum number could be sent out on a culling to sweep up as many victims as possible. Yet, here fighters had been essentially abandoned mid-repair, with Wraith tools left scattered across the platforms without care. It wasn't normal, but then this was hardly a normal Hive.

Up ahead, Halling was nearing the oval entranceway into the first corridor they'd found off the bay. Oneakka kept close in behind Halling, his heaviest powered energy weapon in one hand and his sensor pad in the other. He'd preset the standard Hive map onto the pad and he could already see in his peripheral vision that the pad was detecting life-signs in the far distance. But first he and Halling needed to get out of any line of sight before they assessed the situation around them further.

Halling slowed, his shoulder reaching the entranceway into the corridor. Oneakka held close, keeping his gaze mostly on the bay below them. At the edge of his view, he saw Halling check his own sensor pad and then peer quickly into the corridor's entrance.

Oneakka had no idea if Inifee and Seeal had already left, since the Ancestral ship wasn't detectable on his sensor pad, but he damn well hoped they were already out of the bay and heading for help. The sooner the Fleet got here the better.

Halling's hand appeared at the edge of Oneakka's view. The quick hand signals indicated no Wraith, that the way ahead was clear of obstacles, and then Halling held up several fingers to indicate the distance to the first concealable alcove down the corridor where they could hold position. Oneakka nodded his head sharp and quick.

Halling nodded and then moved swiftly into the corridor and out of sight. Oneakka followed quick on Halling's heels, moving in a backwards angle to keep watch of the bay behind them as he slid into the corridor.

The atmosphere shifted immediately around him, becoming the more usual warm humidity of a Wraith Hive, and the lighting glowed in that dim filtered way they liked. Oneakka didn't mind the Wraith's choice of lighting as it very helpful in staying unseen. Even the uneven stretches of their walls helped when invading their ships, providing the narrow alcoves between large rib-like structures lining the corridor's walls. Slipping into one such alcove, Halling slid out of view and Oneakka moved in after him. There was plenty of room for both of them, but Oneakka stood forward, watching out into the corridor so that Halling could focus on assessing the way ahead.

"The new drive is still down," Halling whispered from his pad, "no radiation being actively emitted."

That was good news at least.

Oneakka leant a fraction out of the alcove to look down the corridor to the right, back to where the corridor opened to the bay. Still no Wraith.

Yet, something odd caught his attention. The entranceway into the bay seemed to be slightly drooping at the top and the walls around the opening had an unnatural sheen. He drew his attention back to the corridor immediately around the alcove, and, sure enough, there was the same unusual shine to the walls, almost as if the walls were slick. That wasn't normal; normally the walls were a dry fibrous webbing with a matt appearance.

He pulled back into the alcove and looked at the walls within the alcove itself. They had a slimy residue over them and strips of the webbing were hanging limp in places. This wasn't right.

"I'm detecting residual radiation levels," Halling continued his report quietly, "but it's not registering as actively harmful for us."

"Have you seen the walls?" Oneakka whispered.

"They're weeping fluid," Halling replied. "Probably radiation damage?"

"Another positive for us," Oneakka noted.

"Agreed," Halling uttered. "The target central power node is on this level, four sections of corridor off to the right," Halling reported and Oneakka held up his left hand holding his pad. Halling's fingers tapped onto the screen, setting the view and scale of the Hive map to show the way, while Oneakka kept watch.

Still no Wraith though. He was always amazed at the Wraith's arrogance; after all the success of the Elite and the Alliance, he'd have expected the Wraith to pay more attention to the possibility of enemies sneaking onboard.

"Set," Halling confirmed and Oneakka drew his pad back into view. He dropped his eyes to the display showing collections of tiny dots that indicated nearby Wraith life-signs and one outlined red square that was their target node.

"There's a cluster of them around the node," Oneakka noted. The sections of corridor were long between here and the target node, but, for now, there were no Wraith life-signs on that route.

"The node is showing fluctuating power. They're probably trying to repair it," Halling suggested.

"We can take out some of the power-lines on the way here," Oneakka suggested, tapping his pad's screen to draw up details of the usual position of Hive power-lines. There were several strategically useful points along their route.

"I agree," Halling nodded, his shoulder pressing tight to Oneakka's as they both consulted the map. "I suggest we target here and here, that should shutdown power flow outwards from the node, and then we target the central node itself."

Oneakka nodded. With the back end of the Hive completely without power, the engines dead, taking out the central node would cripple the Hive's small remaining manoeuvring engines for good. The Hive would be grounded and stay that way for the Fleet to arrive.

"Then we deal with the Queen," Oneakka added and Halling nodded. "Any sign of where she is?" He had redirected his own pad's display back to the immediate area around their alcove, but there were still no Wraith life-signs close by.

"I'm detecting a slightly warmer life-sign right in the middle of the Queen's Chamber," Halling reported. "She might be running warmer because of radiation damage."

"If she's still in there, then she'll be a fighter or a runner," Oneakka commented. In his experience, Queens usually fell into two categories; there were some who oversaw their campaigns from the Hive's equivalent of a Central Station, while other Queens stayed in their own Chamber and left the work to their underlings. This Queen seemed to be of the latter variety. Queens in that group usually either put up a desperate battle in their Chamber, or they would try to get to their personal escape pod and abandon their Hive.

"Considering this Hive's prevalence to jump away from conflict so far, I would guess she'll be a runner," Halling suggested as he pulled partly away from Oneakka's shoulder and Oneakka heard him pull out a second weapon.

"I prefer it when they fight," Oneakka muttered as he adjusted the strap of his sensor pad so that the tech now sat against the back of his hand, and then reached down to his holster to pull out his own second weapon.

"It'll be better than chasing her down to the pod," Halling muttered. "The sooner we get off this sick Hive the better."

Oneakka had to agree with that. Tightening his grip around his weapons, Oneakka glanced over his shoulder to check Halling was ready.

Halling nodded back, his complexion pale in the dim light inside the alcove. "Let's go."

00000

Now the Human prey had left, the prison cells were silent apart from Sheppard's slightly laboured sleeping breaths. He had been that way since they had dragged him into his cell. Deeply unconscious, his Human body was working to recover as best it could from the effects of the feeding. And Sheppard needed the recovery time if they were going to escape.

Not that Sheppard had agreed yet, but Mind Song could not foresee the Human turning down the offer, especially considering his current health.

Moving a few extra steps closer to the barred space between the two cells, Mind Song looked in on Sheppard's still form. It would do no good to wake him too soon; he needed all the rest they could allow.

So Mind Song waited...and listened.

With his hearing improved significantly by Sheppard's latest strength, Mind Song could now hear further into the labyrinth of the prey Humans and it was proving very interesting. Unlike the quiet obedience of before, there were now raised voices in the distance as the Humans argued among themselves.

Gone was the former nervous excitement they had all held before Sheppard's capture; now there was agitation. The sweet smell of Human fear ebbed through the air, even from the two silent guards stood just outside the prison entrance. They were keeping to their orders not to talk within his earshot, but Mind Song could still hear their anxiety in other ways. There was an increased shuffling of their feet against the stone floor, the extra salty scent of sweat on their skin, and their frequent impatient sighs.

Sheppard's Queen had sent fear into them, but he suspected their agitation was also due to another factor. For, in that far distance, just on the edge of his hearing, he had been able to discern one repeated word among the raised voices.

Hive.

It was a beautiful and hopeful word for Mind Song.

Perhaps, if he were so fortunate, he might be rescued before Sheppard.

Except, the chances of that were low considering that he sensed no other Wraith close by. Still, the word 'Hive' played repeatedly in the distance.

They were afraid.

Afraid of Sheppard's Queen and rescuers arriving, and afraid of his own kin.

Good, it was about time that they felt discomfort.

Plus, fear did useful things to prey; it made them flighty, causing them to make foolish mistakes in a hurried moment. So, his mind now stronger from the last feeding, and just to help pass the time a little, Mind Song disturbed the air around the Human guards' minds stood outside. The shifting of dark shadows on the edge of their vision was just enough to make them feel more nervous, but not enough for them to realise what he was doing.

All the better for them to be a little less focused the next time they unlocked these cells.

But, until that point, Mind Song would have to wait. Wait for Sheppard to wake and his strength to be enough for their joint mission.

It would be a fateful mission that would either provide them freedom or lead them to their deaths.

Either way, Mind Song would finally be free of his shackles.

So he patiently waited for Sheppard to be ready.

After all, he had gotten rather good at waiting.

000000

The glowing controls of the Ancestor's Portal dialling console seemed oddly cheerful as Teyla sat next to Chuck as he worked, once again, to contact the Facility.

They had tried to dial in to the Facility five times now without success. It was understandable, considering the Alliance high alert following the reappearance of the Hive within their territory, but it was still frustrating for her.

Giving up briefly, she had instead requested Atlantis dial Athos and she had been able to speak with Father and Vakalis. They had little up-to-date intel on the battle against the Hive, but Vakalis had been in repeated contact with the Facility via links. Massa had a team working exclusively on tracking the signal from John's captors within the links network.

Everyone was doing what they could, but there was nothing new yet to pursue. It was just a matter of waiting a little bit longer.

It was just whether John had that time. Though they had been granted a reprieve of two more hours to save him, it was entirely possible that John had already succumbed to the effects of the last devastating feeding.

He had looked almost like an old man in those last glimpses she had been afforded before Pranos had ended the transmission.

Even if – no, _when_ – they saved John, it was likely that he did not have much life left to live.

But she couldn't allow herself to think about that right now; she had to focus on saving him.

Chuck pressed another dial symbol and Teyla listened to the Portal responding in the next room as she glanced off to the left where she could see Colonel Carter stood inside the glass-walled room that was her office. She was talking with Major Lorne, who had just returned from the latest mission to search the targets on the list from Father's contact.

Apparently there had been evidence of Kolya's people in almost all the buildings and bunkers listed, but no actual Genii. Some had shown signs of being very recently evacuated, possibly following the warning alert sent out from the factory. A large number of further Genii supplies had been found in those locations, presumably too heavy and difficult for Kolya's people to take with them during a swift evacuation. However, what frustrated Teyla the most was that it was very likely that Kolya himself had been in one of those locations. It was possible that Atlantis' teams had missed capturing Kolya by mere hours, perhaps less.

If they had been able to capture Kolya, then they would have had something to use to force Pranos to free John. Instead, Kolya remained elusive and John was still being held by Pranos.

She just needed good news from the Facility. She needed somewhere to go.

She lowered her eyes to the penultimate symbol in the Facility's address as Chuck touched his fingers against the glowing Ancestral symbol. He had long ago memorised the Facility's Portal address, no longer needing to consult the address displayed on the computer screen next to him.

"Sixth time the charm," he smiled at her with grim hope as the Atlantis Portal continued to dial.

She worked to return his soft smile as best she could as she listened to the Portal whirl, waiting for that same frustrating abrupt stop. Except, this time, the Portal continued and there was the bursting rush of the wormhole activating.

"We have a lock," Chuck announced loudly and with clear surprise.

Teyla shot up from her seat and moved swiftly across the short distance to the large screen, waiting for the transmission to come through.

"I have the Facility responding," Chuck informed Colonel Carter, who was quickly heading back into the Control Room.

"On the screen, Chuck," the City Lead ordered.

Teyla turned anxiously back to the screen. "Facility, this is Elite Emmagan," she stated for the audio pickup.

"We receive you, Honoured Elite," an unidentified voice replied, "I am putting your transmission through to Honoured Elite Massa now."

"Thank you," Teyla replied patiently as Colonel Carter arrived at her side. The woman held a large cup of a dark steaming drink.

The screen flickered and abruptly Massa's face filled the view.

"Emmagan," he smiled grimly. He did not look positive.

"We have been trying to reach you for some time," she told him, uncaring of pleasantries and she knew Massa would not expect them given the situation. "Vakalis told us of the most recent territory breach." She left all the unnecessary follow-up questions hanging in the air.

Massa nodded. "I have just spoken again with Vakalis," he confirmed. "I understand that Major Sheppard is still alive but the time is limited to find him."

"Yes," Teyla confirmed, working to control her expression and her emotions. "He has been extensively fed upon, but he is still alive. Do you have any news regarding the source of their transmission?"

Massa glanced down to a display in front of him, no doubt quickly updating himself on any new developments. Behind him, Teyla could see people moving back and forth, their movements hurried but efficient. He would be in the Incident Room then, and clearly the crisis was still ongoing in the Alliance.

"They have not yet located the exact links signal within the network, but they have made significant progress on deciphering the original transmission recordings you provided," Massa reported, his dark eyes lifting back up and meeting hers through the screen. In his dark orbs, she could see the heavy empathy around his professionalism.

It was an all too worrying reminder that Massa had lost his own love.

She needed to believe that she could save John.

"They've now identified the initial recording part of the transmission and the first broadcast onto the links network within it," Massa supplied. "It's definitely a planetary connection into the network and there's no evidence to suggest it was sent from a ship in orbit of a planet."

"So he is being held on a planet or moon with an established links system," Teyla translated that for Colonel Carter and the others listening.

"But the most significant part is that both those elements use Genii coding," Massa continued.

Teyla's heart lifted.

"What does that mean for us?" Colonel Carter entered into the conversation.

Massa's eyes shifted to the City Lead. "It means that the equipment used to create, and the initial links used to send the transmission to the main network were of Genii production."

"Which means that he is being held on a planet or moon within the Genii Confederation," Teyla explained.

"How many Gate addresses does that reduce it to?" Colonel Carter asked.

"About fifteen," Teyla answered her.

"Or there is the possibility that it was sent from one of their old outposts within the Alliance that still uses Genii tech," Massa added.

"Outposts?" Colonel Carter asked.

"Hidden Genii bunkers on planets that used to be outside Alliance space in the past, but are now within our territory. The Genii abandoned such outposts on the planets' inclusion in the Alliance."

"Or not," Colonel Carter understood immediately.

"It would be a clever place to hold him," Teyla considered, glancing to Massa who nodded his agreement. "Within Alliance territory, but in an abandoned hidden location and using Genii tech they sold to the new member of the Alliance. There could be a vast number of those bunkers that most don't know about except those in the Genii military."

"As Kolya was," the Colonel supplied.

Teyla nodded.

"Then that doesn't exactly narrow it down much," Dr McKay abruptly entered into the conversation while pushing in close to Teyla's right elbow.

On the screen, Massa's eyes switched to Dr McKay and his eyebrows lifted, surprised at the somewhat rude interruption.

"Massa, this is Dr McKay," Teyla quickly introduced him.

"Ah," Massa replied with clear recognition of the name. "The Atlantis expert on Ancestor technology."

Dr McKay straightened slightly, clearly pleased with that description.

"Who likes to shout at people," Massa continued, no doubt having heard the stories of Dr McKay's involvement in the recent Intergalactic Conference.

Dr McKay took a breath and scrunched up his face to object, but Colonel Carter quickly started talking. "Thank you for your help, Honoured Elite Massa," the City Lead said politely.

Massa smiled at Colonel Carter, but there was still clear strain around his eyes.

"We will be in touch the second we have anything to report," he promised. "Do you have a recording of the latest transmission from those holding Major Sheppard?"

"Yes," Teyla replied, realising she had forgotten that important part of her dialling into the Facility.

"We are sending it through now, Honoured Elite," Colonel Carter reported and she turned to look over her shoulder. "Send it through, Chuck."

"Yes, Ma'am. Sending now."

Massa's gaze lowered. "We're receiving."

It would take a few moments for the transmission to collate and confirm receipt, so Teyla took the moment. "What is the latest on the Hive?" She asked.

Massa glanced up and his worried frown deepened. "It is still in the Arkinian System."

"The Arkinian System?" Teyla repeated without recognition, except... "That is where we met that Seed Ship and the robots."

Massa nodded. "Indeed, and we found evidence perhaps further linking that system to the Hive's new tech; which is why Oneakka and Halling headed out there over an hour ago."

"They are in the Arkinian System?"

Massa nodded with a frown. "We have not heard from them."

Teyla felt a worried chill pass over her. Not more that could be lost.

"We have the closest Fleet ships headed in to engage the Hive," Massa added as he glanced down at his panel. "The nearest should be arriving there shortly."

Teyla nodded and swallowed worriedly. "Hopefully Halling and Oneakka are simply maintaining radio link silence because they are in close proximity to the Hive," she suggested, hopefully.

Massa nodded and then glanced down again. "I have the full transmission through from you now. I will pass this to the search team in hopes it can add more intel."

"Let me know the second you find something," Teyla could not help herself asking, though of course he would. Except, the battle with the Hive was surely about to start.

"If I cannot dial out from here," Massa replied, "I will go via the Honour Guard on Athos."

Teyla nodded gratefully and she did her best to show that in her smile. "Thank you, Massa."

"Yes, thank you, Honoured Elite," Colonel Carter added.

Massa nodded to the Colonel and then looked back at Teyla. "I will be in contact soon; I promise you."

Teyla nodded.

"To victory," he stated and then the screen went dark.

Teyla let out a slightly shaky breath. Oneakka and Halling were perhaps facing the Hive right now, and John was still lost...

"So we just wait?!" Dr McKay asked, clearly frustrated.

"For now," Colonel Carter answered him calmly before she turned towards Teyla. "Once we find where they're holding the Major, are we going to have a problem getting to them from the Gate if they're on a Genii controlled planet?"

Teyla met the woman's sharp eyes and understood all that she didn't have to ask. If it turned out that John was being held on one of the main Confederation planets, Cowen would likely already have orders in place not to allow Atlantis personnel onto any Genii soil without his prior approval. Any Atlantis staff arriving through the Portal would be stopped and held, and that would take up valuable time and likely become a political issue.

Then there was the likely fact that Kolya would have placed his own loyal people around the Portal on whichever planet it turned out to be. The moment they stepped through, Kolya would likely hear about it.

However, Teyla had already considered this with Si as soon as they had discovered John was held in Alliance territory. The plan was clear, though it would no doubt anger Cowen in the aftermath. For now though, it was the only way they were going to get around any Genii blockade around a Portal.

"We're going to need to use one of your cloaked Ancestral ships," she replied, knowing that the Colonel would understand much of the political risk in that considering Atlantis' new contract with the Alliance.

However, right now, Teyla didn't care about the political aftermath of such a decision, as she only cared about getting to John in time. Yes, it would likely be something that Cowen would jump on, and probably the High Council with him, but she knew, without any doubt, that the Elite would agree with her decision.

Colonel Carter nodded and a faint smile pulled at her lips. "It's already on standby."

00000  
TBC


	31. The Resonance

**Chapter 31 – The Resonance**

The destruction of the node had been far more efficient than Long Sleep had anticipated. The housing had contained the majority of the initial explosive force, but, weakened by the effects of the radiation, the outer encasement had fractured apart dramatically, embedding large shards of the bone casing into the walls of neighbouring chambers. After that, the flooring beneath the former node had abruptly collapsed, sending the still burning remains down several floors below.

Surely many warriors and drones had been caught in the destruction, but Long Sleep didn't have time to dwell on that fact, for the entire section of the Hive had plummeted into darkness with the abrupt and complete power failure from the node's explosion.

Even though the emergency cells flickered into a low limited light, it was the burning hole in the maintenance chamber's wall that provided Long Sleep with the light he needed to see the results of his sabotage. Behind him, the other Keeper groaned as he struggled up off the floor, dark liquid seeping from his forehead.

Waving the thick smoke away from his face, Long Sleep squeezed around the large shard of node housing protruding through the chamber wall and reached down to help the other Keeper to his feet.

"What happened?" The Keeper stuttered as Long Sleep helped him out of the chamber and into the only faintly less smoke-filled corridor outside.

The floor off to the left was partially caved in and the lip of the gaping hole was noticeably melting from a fire below. Several warriors were dealing with it though. Despite their fogged and slowing sick minds, they were still able to know that fire was dangerous and had to be dealt with immediately.

Long Sleep headed the other way, practically carrying the dazed Keeper along with him. The emergency lighting glowed down through the haze of the smoke filling corridor, and there were several warriors lying on one side of the walk-space, as if they had been dragged there to be out of the way.

Up ahead more warriors came into view, all gathered around a section of collapsed wall. They seemed unsure what to do and were attempting to push it back up into place.

"Help put the fire out back there," Long Sleep ordered them with as much command as he could muster through his sore throat. The warriors, appearing grateful for some clear instructions, headed off to help with the real problem. No amount of propping up the corridor wall was going to help now.

A large intersection appeared out of the now thinning smoke and the Long Sleep spied the entranceway into a storage area ahead. At his mental touch, the webbing covering the entranceway slid apart, the space inside gratefully clear of smoke and the thick stench of burning webbing.

Long Sleep carried in the Keeper and the stunned looking warrior leant heavily against the wall with clear relief. Moving on from him, Long Sleep headed towards the chamber's sole interface. The chamber would normally be filled with stored sleeping prey, but thanks to the Poison Queen, there was no sustenance to be found in here anymore.

The interface was what Long Sleep needed right now though. He slid his soot-covered hand across the console, willing it to have enough emergency power to still work. Fortunately, it did react, but it was a slow and sluggish response as it worked to use its limited power.

As he waited for it to find the information he requested, he wiped some of the soot from his face and coughed sharply, spitting out some of the stinking taste in his mouth. He could feel the damage to his airways from the hot smoke he'd inhaled, but the Primary's recently shared life-force was repairing the injury. He glanced round to the other Keeper only to see that the warrior had slumped down to the floor. Long Sleep felt a faint wince of guilt at what his actions had done, but it would be far worse for the Hive if the evil drive was activated again.

The interface finally showed him the information he'd asked for, displaying a dim and slightly shaky diagram of the Hive's current power distribution.

With a burst of deep satisfaction, Long Sleep smiled at what he saw; both main engines were starved of power, the ship essentially grounded, and, more importantly, the evil drive had been completely shutdown.

And the poisonous radiation was no longer registering.

He let out a grateful sigh of relief. He had been successful.

He searched the interface for the status of the power flows across the rest of the Hive, needing to ensure that the regional node's explosion hadn't damaged the central areas.

The interface shakily displayed the Hive's central node, which should be unaffected by his sabotage; except the power readings from the node were wavering, registering as unstable.

That was not good. With power down in the entire back quarters of the Hive, the central node had to maintain its power to keep essential systems working.

Had his sabotage set off a chain reaction further forward in the Hive, damaging the central node as well?

Long Sleep requested more detailed information on the central node's power flow from the interface, but, again, it was frustratingly slow in responding. He clenched his teeth as he waited for the console to access the information.

The results finally flickered across the display.

Long Sleep frowned at the readings. The instability in the power flow wasn't from any damage; it was because of rerouting commands. Power was being incorrectly rerouted from the essential central node.

Were the Keepers up there foolishly attempting to divert power back here? Didn't they realise the extensive and irreparable damage of this local node?!

He would need to get up there and make sure the sickly Keeper minds were not about to drain the most vital systems in their attempt to restart the main engines.

The interface shifted under his touch, showing further detail of the rerouting commands, and Long Sleep caught his breath. No.

They were trying to reroute the central node's power to the evil drive! Trying to restart it.

The power systems couldn't handle that; the poison drive would easily devour all that power and that would leave the Hive without basic life support! The air would not be filtered or circulated, and even the artificial gravity systems would be starved of power.

And if they powered the drive, another jump would rip the Hive apart.

He had to stop this.

He turned from the console and rushed out of the chamber into the lingering smoke outside. Taking a sharp right, he powered forward, racing down the corridor.

He had to get across almost half of the Hive and up several levels to the central node as quickly as possible. His mind worked on the problem as he ran flat out, taking corners at a dangerous speed, but he couldn't waste a single second.

If he used the transport sweep chambers up through the Hive and then down one of the central spinal corridors...yes, he could maybe get there in time before those Keepers up there single-handedly killed the Hive and all onboard.

His lungs burned in his chest as he ran, his body needing more time to completely repair the smoke damage, but he had to get to that node before the Hive was destroyed.

Racing around a particularly tight corner, colliding partly with two warriors in his way, Long Sleep ran into a more brightly lit section of the Hive where the power was still strong. Only, there was a massive crack through one wall of the corridor here, the damage having scattered dead membranes, webbing, and fluid across the floor. Drones were trying to constrict the leaking fluid tubules shut, but Long Sleep had no time to help them.

He instead focused on leaping over every wet risky piece of organic matter that could take his feet out from under him and ploughed onwards. He considered that perhaps-

Loud blaring noise cut through his head, shocking him into almost faltering in his run, but he quickly recovered as the blaring continued.

The intruder alarm?

Did that mean that the Armoured Herd had arrived? That there were armoured prey on the ship?

Or was it a malfunction of the Hive' systems, tripped by internal damage and fluctuating power?

He didn't have time to stop and find out; he had one mission to focus on and he had to give it everything he had or the Hive could be torn apart at any moment, dooming them all.

00000

Ladon stepped out into the hallway and looked both ways down the empty passageway.

It had been awhile since he'd seen anyone passing by the open doorway of the construction room. To stay out of sight of Cowen, and to ensure that he kept as low a profile as possible right now, Ladon had stayed focused on his work with his satellite construction team. However, with Hulte off-world on Athos, it meant that he had to rely on Tyrus and General Maloo bringing him updates of developments in Kolya's capture of Major Sheppard. The last he'd heard from either of them had been a very short worried report of another Alliance wide high alert. According to Tyrus, the rogue Hive in Alliance territory was nowhere near Genii space, but it was still concerning.

As was the unusual quiet hallways around him.

He hadn't even heard the usual guard patrols walk past the doorway for some time. Or had he just been too focused on his work when they had walked by? Did he normally notice them most days?

It was possible he was being paranoid.

Straining his hearing, Ladon couldn't detect anything, not even distant voices. This wasn't the busiest of sections of the complex, but there were usually people moving around and voices in the distance. It felt strangely silent.

And three of his technicians hadn't returned from their rest break either. It was possible that they'd just gotten distracted with talk about the latest in the Alliance-wide high alert, but he'd still sent Sora to find them.

She hadn't come back yet.

He consulted the time on the corner of his electronic pad. It was well past any meal time, so it wouldn't be that everyone was eating. Perhaps there really was a new development in the latest high alert.

He tapped his pad's screen, calling up the news links headline announcements, but there was nothing new. Nor was there any electronic message sent to him by Maloo or Tyrus. It was probably that the two of them were caught up in however Cowen was currently reacting to the crisis.

Cowen probably had sequestered himself in his office again, respecting only his most trusted Commander General Reed, while the rest of his Generals were expected to just listen and do as ordered.

Ladon just wished he knew what was happening between Kolya and Atlantis, but he had no way to find out unless Tyrus or Maloo supplied him with any new information.

It was simply a matter of waiting, and keeping his head down so as not to appear suspicious.

Except he couldn't stop himself worrying over Cowen's question about Dahlia. It was entirely possible that Cowen had been simply been attempting to show fake interest in Ladon's family during the rather uncomfortable one-to-one meeting earlier.

Or had it been a threat?

Did Cowen suspect him?

There were others in their conspiracy circle that Ladon could ask, but he didn't really trust them; they were all far too obsessively loyal to Kolya. With Hulte on Athos, that reduced those Ladon trusted down to a worryingly low number.

Of course it could be that everything was actually unfolding as planned, and Cowen was quiet because he was heading off-world as per Kolya's original plan?

Except Ladon had never really believed Cowen would do that in a crisis.

A slight sound caught Ladon's attention, and he stilled, focusing on the far-away noise.

Footsteps.

Coming this way.

He moved back into the open entrance of the construction room, glancing back over his shoulder. The team were working away busily and appeared unaware of anything going on.

Ladon turned back to the hallway and listened to the approaching footsteps. They echoed loudly against the flagstones, growing steadily closer. Whoever it was approaching was walking at a fast but steady rate; measured to be quick but not so much as to draw attention.

Sora?

He was almost certain of it, but he held still, watching off to the far right to see who would appear around the bend.

After a few more long moments, the footsteps reached the bend and Sora came into view.

Ladon let out a sigh of relief and headed quickly to meet her in the corridor away from the entrance into the construction room.

"What did you find?" He asked quietly as they reached each other.

She brushed a stray strand of red hair behind her left ear as she met his eyes. "I can't find the missing technicians," she supplied, clearly unhappy at her lack of success.

"The hallways are quiet," Ladon said pointedly.

She nodded. "Some people are in their offices, but I didn't spot a single guard on the way through the complex."

"Has Cowen gone off-world?" Ladon asked quietly, and rather hopefully.

"No, apparently he's still here," Sora reported softly with a deep worried frown. "Do you want me to go into the governing areas, see if I can find something out?"

"No," Ladon shook his head as he glanced back over his shoulder towards the open doorway and then back to Sora. "I need you to do something else for me."

"Anything," Sora stated quickly.

"I need you to find Dahlia and take her down to our secondary meet point underground," he instructed her.

"You're worried Cowen knows."

"If he knew the truth then we would already be in custody, if not dead," Ladon tried to reassure her. "But I need to know that Dahlia's safe, and I only trust you to see to that."

Sora crushed her lips together, clearly holding in her objections. "Father can take her down there."

"No, Tyrus is better placed on his security detail to hear what is happening," Ladon argued. "It needs to be you."

Sora glanced away, unhappy at the assignment. "I found out one thing from my contact in communications," she reported, still not having agreed to his request.

"I need you to make sure Dahlia is safe, Sora," Ladon insisted as firmly as he could while keeping his voice low. He reached up and cupped her shoulders in his hands. "We both know that, even if we're successful, Dahlia can still be used against me by those loyal to either Cowen or Kolya. I need to be sure that she is safe until I know how best to protect her going forward."

Sora's shoulders were tight in his hands so he brushed his thumbs over the thin layer of her uniform jacket.

"You are the _only_ one I truly trust, Sora," he stressed. "Please."

He held her gaze, aware that he was trusting the emotional ties that had built between, despite their time together having been centred around sex and conspiracy.

Sora crushed her lips harder together, pouting them slightly. "Alright," she begrudgingly agreed. "For you." Sora had never really liked Dahlia's company all that much, but he understood it was her loyalty to him and their long held plans that made her reluctant to leave him to protect his sister.

"Thank you," he told her gratefully and squeezed her shoulders before letting go of her.

Sora nodded, saying nothing else. He knew he could trust her to get Dahlia to safety. Her somewhat unpredictable and churlish nature aside, Sora was a dedicated soldier. She just preferred to be on the front line of the action.

"What did you find out from your communications contact?" He returned to the subject now he had her promise. Had Atlantis been back in contact perhaps?

"He said that the Elite are searching our interfaces into the links network," Sora supplied.

"What?" Ladon asked, shocked at the news. "Why?"

"He didn't know, but apparently it's all the Confederation worlds."

"They're looking for something," Ladon considered.

"Could it be us?" Sora asked, clearly concerned.

"If they knew about our circle we would already have Elite warriors at our door," Ladon disagreed.

Sora angled her rosy cheeked face. "I suppose, but I don't like it."

"Perhaps Kolya has been tapping into the links network to communicate with others a part of his plan," he wondered aloud. It would surely be a stupid thing to do, considering that the links network could easily be searched...

"If he is, he hasn't told us about it," Sora complained.

"Did your contact suggest that the Elite had found anything?"

"Communications only know that the Elite have used their access to the Confederation networks and are searching them thoroughly," Sora replied. "But this isn't secret information. Communications told Cowen."

"When?"

"Not even a quarter standard hour ago," Sora replied.

"Maybe that explains the quiet around here," Ladon suggested. "He might be in conference with his Generals and security." It would certainly explain why Maloo and Tyrus hadn't visited or even sent him a message yet.

It was difficult to predict exactly how Cowen would react to the news that the Elite were sniffing around the Confederation's links into the main Alliance network. Would Cowen perhaps go off-world to speak with them? Except that couldn't be Kolya's plan, because there was no way he could know which planet Cowen might meet Elite warriors, and he certainly wouldn't be able to hide the explosive device on an Elite held planet.

Perhaps then, Cowen might run and hide. If he felt threatened, would he leave to go to the Primary planet, as per Kolya's original plan, and stay there out of the apparent reach of the Elite?

Ladon shook his head at the thoughts circling around his head. If the Elite were about to bring a political storm down upon Cowen, running away wasn't going to solve that. If the Elite wanted to talk with someone, there was nothing to stop them. An Elite had apparently single-handedly found and extracted someone out of Sula's Portal City recently, which was where the sleaziest and most criminal within the Alliance went to disappear. Cowen wasn't stupid enough to think he could run and hide from the Elite, so how exactly did Kolya think he was going to get Cowen off-world? It was the part of the plan that had never quite sat right with Ladon.

"I haven't heard from Father in awhile," Sora asked.

"He was here a short while ago," Ladon lied to reassure her. "He or Maloo will brief me again as soon as they are able, but I need you to go find Dahlia now."

She nodded. "Alright. I'll go straight to the meet point with her and wait for you and Father to contact us."

"Thank you," Ladon repeated to her. "Take the hidden tunnels; don't risk being seen anywhere."

"I will get her to safety, but if you or Father need me back here, contact me," she demanded as she turned.

"I will," Ladon told her, though, truthfully, it would take her far too long to get back up to the surface from the planned meet point deep within the old underground city beneath First City. But reminding her of that fact wasn't going to help ensure she got Dahlia to safety.

As he listened to her clipped quick footsteps echoing away down the otherwise empty hallway, he headed back towards the entrance to the construction room.

He glanced inside, but everyone was busy on the same work as before, showing complete disinterest in his return.

Except for the three that had not returned; where had they gone?

0000

The warm aroma of incense wafted into his awareness, stirring him awake.

A faint refreshing coolness ghosted across his cheek, the air full of the soft fragrances of Athos. In the distance outside the open window of her quarters, he could hear the sound of Tjaru going about its usual business. It was a gentle mix of voices too distant to be discernible, with laughter, someone calling a name, and the occasional snip of a gardener trimming back branches and shrubs in the courtyard a storey down below the window.

John fluttered his eyelids open to the glowing daylight, blinking into the initial brightness until his vision gently sharpened.

The sweet curve of her naked golden neck came into focus just in front of him, her hair curling across the turquoise pillow they were sharing.

He slid his head further across the warm softness of the pillow until his nose and lips met her skin. The scent of sweet flowers filled his nose as he nuzzled into the crook of her neck, her skin warm and arousing against him lips.

She stirred a little, just a little, her shoulder lifting faintly, her cheek turning slightly within his limited close view of her. He felt her take a deeper breath beneath his arm resting over her side, and he heard her murmur a soft contented sound.

Pleased, and so unbelievably comfortable, he drew in her scent again and pressed his lips softly to her skin.

This was the way to wake up. Every day.

" _Sheppard."_

Though he realised he wasn't sure how long they had been sleeping. Were the others from the team looking for him already, recalling him from his 'political and military discussion' with Elite Emmagan while Woolsey did the actual work?

" _Sheppard."_

John lifted his head to look into the soft glowing space of Teyla's bedroom. Was it his radio?

He frowned towards the open window at the end of the room.

Hadn't Teyla moved quarters? Why were they back in her old bedroom?

"Sheppard!"

The dream broke apart in a sharp instant, the images and warmth sliding away from him.

John blinked open his eyes to the far less enjoyable sight of a mottled concrete floor.

His body hurt.

It wasn't a sharp pain, or anything that implied he'd been injured.

No, he'd been fed on.

And Teyla had just been a dream.

As reality delivered all the nasty memories, he lifted his head from the cold floor of his prison cell. The hurt now registered as a cramped up discomfort, probably from the half slumped position he'd been sleeping in. Or, possibly, had passed out.

"Sheppard!" The Wraith called again from above.

"Yeah, I'm awake already," John protested as he struggled to get his legs moving. He felt like he'd been asleep for a day or more and his body had frozen up on him. But, his legs moved on command, which was a real win right now.

The wall was nice and close, so he shifted back a little until his upper back met the support, and he let out a relieved sigh. Above him, through the open space between the cells, he heard the Wraith let out breath.

The memories were all too clear from that last trip to the dentist chair, including its surprising conclusion. He couldn't remember coming back into his cell, so presumably they'd just dragged him back in here. That might explain some of the stinging in his lower legs, or maybe it was just having been almost killed by the Wraith who had just woken him from a very nice dream.

He'd give just about anything to be living that dream right now.

Except the reality was that he was still stuck in here, but he wasn't dead at least. That had come as something of a surprise.

"You know, I could have sworn I was gonna to wake up dead today," he muttered to the listening Wraith.

"You are strong," the Wraith's voice echoed down from above. "Stronger than any Human I have ever feed upon."

John guessed that was a compliment or maybe it just meant that the Wraith didn't want to eat all his food at once. Still, its voice sounded different somehow, sort of thoughtful. Or maybe it was early onset hearing loss from being fed on so much.

"You stopped yourself," John recalled, able to remember that point clearly.

"Yes," the Wraith replied simply, the single word drawn out and full of subtext to John's aged ear.

"Why?" John asked.

"Because, the longer I feed, the weaker you become," it answered. "And we will need what strength you have left," its voice softened, "to escape."

John almost snorted at that, surprised at the sudden turnaround. "Now, he wants to escape," he muttered.

"We do not have much time," the Wraith added.

That was something of an understatement considering the circumstances. "Yeah, well, that depends how much of me you took," John replied.

"No," the Wraith disagreed, "something has changed among these prey."

John shifted his head against the cell wall so that he could look up towards the bars. "Changed how?"

"They have been unnerved since the last conversation with your people, and I have heard whispers of a Hive," the Wraith's voice shifted as it talked, sounding like it was turning away from the bars.

"Great," John muttered. "Just what I need right now, more Wraith."

"But something else has changed," the Wraith continued, "they are afraid of discovery now."

That caught John's attention, and he felt a burst of adrenaline hit his weakened system, his heart pumping harder in his chest. "As in rescue?" He worked to sit up, every muscle in his body resisting initially.

"I do not think anyone has arrived to save you yet, but they are afraid of something new," the Wraith answered. "They have retreated further into this place, out of my earshot."

"So now's the time to break out," John guessed as he successfully achieved a fully sat up position.

"I believe so," the Wraith replied, its voice low and somehow thoughtful again.

The only problem was whether John actually had the physical strength to put up a good fight. He flexed his arms and shook out his legs. He felt tired, real tired, but everything appeared to be working.

He looked at the cell door.

Teyla had been in Atlantis and had threatened Pranos pretty damn well, but clearly she wasn't kicking down the door just yet. If Pranos and his fellow goons were freaked out about someone coming to get them, it was probably Teyla. And it meant they were likely distracted so the Wraith was right, they needed to act now to take advantage of the opportunity.

Except the 'opportunity' involved working with a Wraith. It had already taken god knows how much of John's life, so what was going to stop it from taking the rest during the escape?

Was he actually going to trust this Wraith to keep its word to help and not kill him?

John worked to struggle upright, leaning his weight almost entirely against the cell wall as he slowly stood up and looked through the bars at the Wraith.

The strange alien slit eyes watched him, but there did seem something different about the creature now. It looked almost...apologetic? No, that couldn't be right. Unless it was feeling guilty about only now deciding to work together to get out of here. If it had just agreed before the last feeding, John would have been in a far stronger place to fight his way out.

But that wasn't worth dwelling on right now. They had a mission, and if either of them had a chance of getting out of here alive, they needed to trust each other.

For now.

"Okay," John agreed. "Can you hear how many of them are in the local vicinity?"

The Wraith angled its head as if intently listening. "There are just the two guards outside within hearing range."

"Good."

"They are afraid," the Wraith added, its eyes turned towards the far doorway out of the prison.

"You can tell that from here?" John asked doubtfully.

"Yes," the Wraith said with an amused, and slightly creepy, tone.

"O-kay," John logged that unsettling Wraith fact away for now as he looked towards the exit outside of which the guards were apparently stood. "Presumably they have the keys to the cells?"

"They do," the Wraith confirmed. John didn't ask whether the Wraith knew that from watching them lock and unlock the doors or because he could hear the keys jangling on their belts or something.

The plan was obvious then: they needed to lure the two guards in here, incapacitate them, and get the keys.

John looked back to the Wraith. "I suggest we go for the 'help, he's dying routine'."

The Wraith let out a low deep chuckle, clearly understanding the concept right away. "Yes, that might work."

00000

By the time Long Sleep reached the spinal corridor on the same level as the central node, he was no longer the only one running through the hallways. Warriors and drones raced with him, but their destination was to engage the intruders who were, worryingly, also on this same level.

How they had gotten onboard was unclear, but that wasn't important. What was important was the very obvious sound of distant rapid blasts of stunner fire that proved that the intruders were making worrying progress though the Hive, and that they were apparently two of the Armoured Herd's Queen Killers.

The Queen Killers were infamous for their attacks on Hives and Cruisers, and Long Sleep suspected it was more than likely that the Killers were in this area of the Hive with the intention of controlling the central node's power distribution.

Fortunately though, it seemed as if the majority of the Hive were rushing forward to engage the Queen Killers, to the point that they were jamming up the corridor and creating a fast stumbling flow of constant motion. With all their bodies and minds sickened by the effects of the radiation, most of them seemed to believe that simply charging towards the Queen Killers would lead to victory.

Long Sleep had no intention of going with them to meet the intruders; his exit off the spinal corridor to get to the maintenance chamber for the central node was up ahead. The problem was getting out of the fast, near stampede, moving force of the warriors and drones.

A distant explosive blast caused the lighting to flicker, which suggested that the Queen Killers were indeed targeting the power flows. At this rate, if the Keepers didn't destroy the Hive with their foolish rerouting plan, the enemy would end up blowing up the node and shutting off the Hive's life support. He couldn't worry about that eventuality now; he needed to focus on stopping his own Keeper kin first.

The exit off the spinal corridor ahead, he started pushing and elbowing his way through to the edge of the stampede, ready to escape into the side corridor that was his target. Except there was one particularly massive drone in his way, so he had to squeeze around the large creature's thick arm to get to his exit. Only, the drone didn't like being pushed at and a large hand grasped at Long Sleep's shoulder and he was flung aside against the wall. Fortunately, his shoulder hit the corner of the turnoff he had been aiming for so he twisted to tumble down into the side corridor. Bits of dead webbing tangled around his shoulders as he hit the floor, but he was out of the wild fury flow and once again had space around him.

Wiping the wet membranes from his shoulders, he clambered up onto his feet. Then the floor rocked violently.

Long Sleep grabbed at the closest wall, but his hand met more of the wet dying membranes. The vibration repeated as he managed to brace himself.

Those had been physical impacts to the ship!

Another shake sent pieces of the wall down to the floor around his boots.

The Hive was under attack and it was presumably the Armoured Herd's ships arriving in the wake of their Queen Killers.

Because there were not enough threats for him to deal with! With the Hive's weakened structural stability, repetitive weapons fire was not going to help the situation.

But that wasn't a problem he could resolve right now.

Pushing onwards down this new piece of corridor, Long Sleep ran until the grateful sight of the entranceway into the central node's maintenance chamber came into view. Only the entranceway was blocked with warriors looking into the chamber.

Long Sleep slid to a stop behind the sea of backs and looked over their shoulders to see that there were far too many Keepers all crammed into the small chamber.

"Let me through!" He commanded loudly and forcefully as he got his elbows into the sides of some Keepers. Worried eyes all turned towards him, all appearing panicked.

Shoulders quickly parted now that they recognised him and he shoved his way into the middle of the packed chamber to spot two of the Keepers working on the consoles, clearly the ones responsible for the power rerouting.

"What are you doing?" He demanded as he pulled one Keeper roughly away from one console. The chamber stank of sickly sweat and fear.

"The Hive Primary commands that we re-power the drive," the Keeper explained, its pale clammy face stricken with confusion. It was probably because their minds were so damaged already that they hadn't been able to remember how to best reroute the power.

"The drive is responsible for all this damage, it must _not_ be re-powered," Long Sleep ordered them as he turned to the Keeper at the other console and physically pulled the male's hands from the interface.

"But the Queen-"

"You hear those sounds of battle?" Long Sleep interrupted him as he slid his own hand against the console's interface to undo their foolish rerouting.

The full chamber of Keepers all looked worriedly over their shoulders towards the corridor outside the entranceway, the sounds of the battle with the Queen Killers easily audible between the blares of the intruder alarm. Another small explosion echoed and the roaring rage of the attacking warriors engaging the Killers rose in response.

"There are Queen Killers only corridors away from here," Long Sleep told them as he shutdown the last rerouting and the central node's power started to stabilise. Though, the Killer's were causing disruption to the power flow further out from the node.

"Then we must do as the Primary wishes; we must escape!" One Keeper stated fearfully.

"We use that drive one more time and the Hive will be torn apart," Long Sleep explained the seemingly obvious as he ran an analysis of the central node. He needed to find a way to seal off the flow back towards the evil drive, ensure no rerouting to it was possible.

"But the Armoured Herd are attacking!" Someone else added as the floor shook with another impact. "We must escape!"

Long Sleep shook his head at the foolishness, but focused on his work. "I need a splicing tool," he ordered as he withdrew his touch from the console's interface. "You, get me one. You, work that other interface to reroute non-essential systems to regeneration to help structural integrity."

The direct orders cut through their confused minds and they immediately did what he told them. He had led these Keepers for a short time, but they trusted his knowledge and reacted without question.

"One of the manoeuvring thrusters' cells is underpowered," another Keeper reported.

"We don't need thrusters anymore," Long Sleep answered as a splicing tool was handed to him. "Once we stabilise the node and power, we all need to evacuate the Hive."

He turned from the shocked lowered jaws and pulled away the protective webbing around one of the main fluid tubules that encircled the central node in the next chamber. He lifted the sharp splicing tool and cut into the bud end of the tubule, stimulating an instant response from the tissue to grow a further new tubule. The node needed more cooling nourishing fluid right now, so he moved along to the other end of the tubule access, pushing Keepers out of his way as he did.

"The non-essential power is redirected," someone reported.

"Good, now-"

The room rocked violently and Long Sleep almost slipped and tore the splice tool into the fluid tube.

"Shouldn't we redirect more power to weapons?" One Keeper suggested.

"There's no point," Long Sleep argued as he spliced into another bud. "We can only stabilise this node and then the hull long enough for us to escape," he told them.

"But we've grown the hull so thick so it will-," a Keeper argued.

"It's thick but the inner layers supporting it are damaged by the radiation," Long Sleep explained hurriedly as he worked.

"Radiation?"

Long Sleep gave up explaining anything to them; their minds were practically lost. "Just go, find fighters and get off the Hive."

"But we can't leave the Queen unprotected!"

He almost rolled his eyes at that. He had no idea where the Poison Queen was, for he certainly couldn't feel the overriding pressure of her mind anymore. Perhaps it was because she was focusing on the attack rather than her Hive of prisoners, or maybe she had already slipped away in her private escape ship. Either way, there was no need to hide the truth from the others now.

"She doesn't care about any of us," Long Sleep told them angrily as he reached back towards the interface to increase the fluid pumps ready for the new tubules once they were grown. "She did this to all of us and she's not even-"

A loud roar cut through the rest of his revelation, and Long Sleep spun round to see several Keepers being pulled out of the entranceway of the chamber and the Hive Primary filled their place.

"TRAITOR!" The Primary roared at Long Sleep, the male's eyes wide and wild as he tore into the chamber.

The Keepers tried to get out of the Primary's way, but with so many of them crowded into the small space, they had nowhere to go but to fall down and away from him. The Hive Primary didn't care about them scrambling and falling around him; he just climbed up onto them and launched himself through the air at Long Sleep.

Long Sleep dropped down and to the side, only narrowly avoiding the Primary's reaching claws and feeding hand. Keepers collapsed under Long Sleep as they all crashed to the chamber's floor in a heap.

Long Sleep turned on his bed of scrambling Keepers, his eyes fixing on the Primary as the massive male crashed into a console. It didn't stop him though.

There were too many Keepers still in here, even as they all fought to escape, and the room was too small. There wasn't enough time or space for Long Sleep to get away from the Primary.

He had to fight.

He realised he still had the splicing tool in his hand. It was thin for a weapon, but it was half a hand's length long beyond the bone handle and had a sharp point, and it was all he had against the muscular and frighteningly strong Hive Primary.

Holding himself up against the partially broken console he'd landed on, the Hive Primary struck out one large boot at Long Sleep.

Sliding more than actively moving, Long Sleep threw himself to one side, falling off the remaining pile of struggling Keepers and he hit the chamber floor finally.

The Primary hissed loudly as his boot cracked loudly into the leg of another Keeper.

Long Sleep quickly got his feet under him in the tiny free space he'd fallen into and, without much thought, he threw himself at the Primary's back, the splicing tool a hard biting sensation in his feeding hand.

The Primary was too fast though and his massive arm struck out. The bony end of his elbow hit Long Sleep in his upper chest and knocked him back. Long Sleep tumbled against the side wall of the chamber and gasped in broken breaths.

"You will die as my sacrifice to the Great Queen," the Primary shouted around the blaring alarm and the distant blasting sounds of warfare.

Long Sleep's vision steadied as his lungs pulled in full breaths, and he saw that he still held the splicing tool tightly in his hand. His grip had cramped around its handle so hard that he might never be able to let go of it.

"I will feed on every last drop of your life and I will tell of your death to everyone single warrior and drone I meet," the Primary hissed as he stepped towards Long Sleep, the other Keepers almost all out of view now.

The lights flickered above, the floor shifting slightly under Long Sleep, and he felt a bursting, fiery rage pour up through him.

"YOU are the traitor," he shouted at the Primary. "You betrayed us all to that thing! She is NO Queen!"

The floor shook again and Long Sleep had to brace himself against the wall behind him to keep his footing.

"You are poisonous mutated thing," the Primary shouted back, spit dripping down his chin. "You think yourself better than our Great Queen!" He roared and his body tensed in the flickering light.

Long Sleep tensed in return, watching as the Primary seemed to move in slow motion as he launched himself off the floor with his big thick legs, his hands reaching for Long Sleep's neck.

Long Sleep roared violently and threw himself into the attack, swinging the splicing tool forward with him.

The Primary's hands reached Long Sleep's throat first, the teeth of his feeding bite almost immediately grazing at Long Sleep's skin, and the force of the collision drove Long Sleep back into the wall behind him, the Primary crushing him against it.

But the momentum had helped Long Sleep; it had helped drive the splicing tool deep into the Primary's eye socket.

The moment held as Long Sleep drew in a desperately needed breath, his back painful from the impact with the wall, and his hand still around the handle of the splicing tool.

Then the Primary wavered on his feet, his hands dropping from Long Sleep and he staggered back, the splicing tool protruding from his left eye socket.

Long Sleep struck.

His feeding bite latched onto the side of the Primary's throat and the rush of the Primary's already dying life-force rushed into him.

Long Sleep followed the Primary as he fell backwards to the chamber floor, crouching over the Primary's dying body. Long Sleep took every last bit of life-force he could, draining the Primary of every drop of all those prey he had so greedily kept for him himself.

0000  
TBC


	32. The Foray

**Chapter 32 – The Foray**

After a quick couple of circles of his cell, John was reasonably certain his body could keep up with the fight ahead. The Wraith had apparently been honest enough when it had said it had left him enough life to be able to help fight their way out of here.

How much life that actually meant wasn't a question John was looking to ask right now. He had to escape this place first, then, once he was back in Atlantis, then he'd allow himself to think about the future. Right now, he had no future unless he got out of here. If that took trusting a Wraith well...life was a funny thing.

John glanced at the Wraith through the small window between their cells and the Wraith nodded.

It was Showtime.

John headed towards the door of his cell and, one hand on the bars, he lowered himself carefully down onto one knee. The knee ached deep, like it really was years older than earlier, but it held and there was no shooting pain. Today, that was a real plus.

John got a good grip of the bars of the cell door and shook them as hard as he could. The door made a real satisfying noise as it clattered in its hinges and inside the lock, while also confirming that he did still have some decent strength left in him. Not that shaking his way out of the cell was the plan.

No, instead, letting go of the door, John looped one arm through the bars and draped himself against the door, his lower half sprawled on the floor as if he'd collapsed there.

"Humans?" The Wraith called out loudly from the next cell as John dropped his head against the bars and did his best to play dead. "Humans!" The Wraith repeated.

There was the faintest scuffing of soles on the concrete floor in the distance.

"What?" A voice demanded from the far entrance, clearly not impressed at the Wraith demanding attention.

"You should know that your captive is about to expire," the Wraith informed them with a helluva lot of amusement in its voice. Hopefully it was all just for show.

Boots shifted against the floor. "Damn it," John heard the Genii guard mutter. "Marcos, get in here." John listened as the boots moving closer.

"I would be happy to feed on him again," the Wraith suggested. "It would be a pity to waste good food."

"Shut up!" The guard shouted at the Wraith as he reached the other side of the bars from John. John felt the warmth of the Genii goon as the guy crouched down and clammy fingers brushed around the wrist of the arm John had hanging through the bars. The Genii squeezed his fingertips against John's pulse.

"What is it?" Another voice arrived from the far left, presumably Marcos.

"He's on his way out," the first goon replied, his fingers leaving John's wrist. "Get the medical response kit."

There was a scraping of something, while the first goon got hold of John's arm, trying to push it back through the bars.

"Damn it, he's right up against the door," the goon muttered.

"Just push the door back," Marcos suggested from the other side of the bars. "We need to tell Pranos." Something metal hit the floor nearby, which was presumably the med kit?

John heard the key entering the lock just above him.

"Just get the door open," the first goon argued. "He dies now and the Elite will _definitely_ kill all of us."

" _Don't_ start that again," Marcos complained as the lock turned and John felt the door shift. "We just need to get some air and fluids in him; that usually keeps them going."

The door started to push against him, so John rolled back and sideways, pulling his arm out of the bars, and dropped to the floor right in the way of them getting the cell door open any further. Hands grabbed at the back of his jacket, but he kept up the deadweight routine, forcing them to step into the cell to get hold of him and pull him around the door.

Lights flashed against John's eyelids as they rolled him over onto his back. He made a show of twitching and blinking as if he'd just come round with all the manhandling.

Hands gripped around his shoulders and he was dragged across the floor, through the open doorframe above him and into the space outside the cell.

Both Genii then came into view above, one crouching down on John's left. A hand appeared right in front of John's nose, the goon snapping his fingers loudly, presumably in an attempt to get John to come round some more. He obliged.

"Wha...?" He pretended to look around blearily.

"Get the air and I'll get the fluid push," The first goon ordered at John's side.

The other Genii, Marcos then, shifted out of John's view.

"Please help me..." John reached up and grabbed weakly at the first goon's arm, as if he were out of it. He probably looked so crap they wouldn't think he was any kind of threat right now anyway.

"Stay down," the goon shoved John's hands away.

"Where am I?" John spluttered as he rolled onto his left side, which put him right up against the goon.

"Just stay there," the goon ordered impatiently as he reached out to a metal box on the floor nearby, which involved him taking his eyes off John and turning away slightly; which provided John with a nice clear view of the sheathed knife against the guy's left hip. The Alliance style stunner was on the other side. John would have preferred the gun, but he didn't have all that many options right now.

Still working his confused and bleary routine, John rolled his head back slightly so that Marcos came into view a couple of feet away. Marcos was stood but was busy lifting a small oxygen cylinder out of the med kit and unravelling a long tube attached to it.

Both goons clearly didn't see him as any kind of threat.

If the Academy could have seen this, John was almost certain he would have gotten an Oscar.

The Genii crouched next to John turned back towards him with a pack of something in his hands. John reached out to the guy again, grabbing weakly at the front of his uniform. "Please don't let the Wraith hurt me again," John begged desperately as he clawed at the goon.

The guy tried to bat away John's desperate clawing, but John got a good fistful of the Genii' uniform in his left hand. As the goon tried to prise John's hand free, John dropped his right hand down to the handle of the goon's knife.

"Please don't hurt me again," John begged more loudly, pulling himself up by his hold on the Genii' jacket, which allowed him to get his left leg under him, ready and braced.

"Get off me," the Genii protested, pulling his head back with apparent disgust, which unfortunately helped expose his throat.

The knife lifted smoothly up out of its sheath and John brought it up and through, while simultaneously pushing himself up and around.

He had had no time to see if the Genii sharpened both edges of their military knives, but at the speed and the angle he sliced the blade across the side of the goon's throat, it probably wouldn't really matter.

As it turned out, the edge was very sharp and it cut across the goon's neck all too easily. John didn't stop to watch the result though, for his momentum carried him up and round towards Marcos.

He'd clearly taken them both completely by surprise, but by being a few feet away, Marcos had time to react. It wasn't much time, but it was enough for the guy's training to kick in.

Marcos pulled back sharply, leaning backwards just enough to get out of the way of John's swinging knife edge. Unfortunately, Marcos had also struck out with the only weapon he had been holding; the slim metal oxygen tank.

John tried to pull up and dodge out of the way of the cylinder swinging round towards his knife arm, but his momentum was still carrying him forwards.

Fortunately though, Marcos hadn't gotten enough time to put any real force into the swing, but the cylinder still slammed against the back of John's arm with a bone-jarring impact.

Any other day, John was convinced he would have been able to take that hit, but today the pain lanced right down through his arm to his wrist and the knife dropped from his weakened grip.

The knife clattered to the floor as Marcos stepped forward, pushing his advantage by swinging cylinder back round again.

John dodged backwards out the way of the swing, his legs moving with surprising speed considering how stiff and awkward they felt under him. Marcos took one more swing, sending the small tank round in another large arch, but John stepped to the left, easily evading the attack.

Realising he wasn't going to win with an air tank, Marcos let go of the cylinder, letting it fly away out of view, and reached down to his right hip.

John watched in horrified slow motion as Marcos got his hand around the grip of his gun.

Without stopping to think about it, John threw himself at Marcos, grasping at the guy's right forearm.

Surprised at John's unexpected angle of attack, Marcos stumbled back, but John got a good grip around Marcos' wrist and shoved downwards, hard.

A sudden bizarre and desperate wrestling match started, with Marcos trying to pull the gun out of his holster while John pushed hard on Marcos' wrist, forcing the gun to stay in the holster.

At which point Marcos remembered that his left hand was free.

The punch hit John hard and deep against his right kidney, but he desperately held onto Marcos' wrist. Turning his shoulder into Marcos, John tried to shove him over, but the guy was a lot younger and hadn't been recently fed on by a Wraith! In retaliation, Marcos slammed another punch into John's kidney.

Pushing clearly wasn't going to work, so John brought his left knee up into the side of Marcos' thigh and then stamped his boot down hard onto Marcos' right foot.

Marcos shouted in pain, but channelled that into pushing hard against John.

John couldn't hold his footing, his strength starting to fail him, and Marcos easily forced him backwards. Perhaps back through the open door into his cell!

John dropped hard onto his left knee and pivoted sharply, turning and swinging Marcos round to the left by his wrist. The sudden and hard change of direction threw Marcos completely off his feet and John felt the guy's wrist snap in his hands. His broken wrist as the pivot point, Marcos performed a stumbling sideways fall round towards the cell bars and John let go of him. Without anything to slow his crash now, Marcos slammed into the cell bars a good metre away.

It wasn't going to be enough though. Marcos still had a working left hand, a knife, and a gun. And now he had some distance between them to give him time to draw the weapons.

John pushed off the floor to rush at Marcos, but suddenly it didn't matter.

A large pale hand abruptly reached through the bars beside Marcos' head and the Wraith grabbed a hold of the Genii' throat.

Marcos cried out in shocked alarm, but the Wraith moved quickly, its long unshackled arm looping around Marcos' neck, holding him tight up against the cell bars.

Marcos flailed wildly at the Wraith's arm as a loud slamming sound of metal on metal shook the bars.

John stopped, realising what was happening.

The Wraith was smashing the heavy metal shackle around its right arm hard against the inside of the bars beside Marcos. Within seconds, the lock that held the shackle shut cracked and the shackle broke apart, dropping to the floor as the Wraith reached its now free feeding hand through the bars and down against the top of Marcos' chest.

Marcos' cries mixed with the roar of the Wraith as it started feeding.

John turned away from the sight, his own feeding mark stinging against his pounding heart underneath. He really didn't need to see that happening to someone else right now.

He instead focused on crossing the short distance back to the first goon, realising that maybe the guy had had a chance to hit his radio or...

No, the guy clearly hadn't been able to do anything like that. He lay in a slump, one red coated hand near the open wound on the side of his neck. His face was pale with death but also from the complete lack of blood in his head.

John looked away from the guy's face, pushing away the guilty feelings. He worked on pulling the guy's stunner free of its holster, but he left the radio as it was coated in blood.

The Wraith's feeding noises died away as John turned back around to see the very dead, shrivelled remains of Marcos drop to the floor.

John headed to the body.

Instead of pulling the radio and weapons free, this time he simply unbuckled the Genii' holster and pulled it free. The body smelt all too familiar with that desiccated decayed smell of every fed-on Human John had ever had the misfortune to come across. He wouldn't wish that on anyone, especially not now, but it wasn't like there had been a choice considering what the Genii had had planned for him and the Wraith.

John wrapped the Genii holster around his own waist, Marcos' stunner and knife still in their places and, alongside the radio, the ring of keys. John unclipped the metal ring and assessed the four keys hanging from it. Two were smaller and were presumably for the Wraith's chains and former shackle, and the other larger keys were presumably for the cell doors. John picked one as he headed for the Wraith's cell door.

As he stepped up to the lock, he looked through the bars at the Wraith on the other side. The Wraith's dark, almost cautious, gaze stared back.

He could leave the Wraith here; try and escape by himself.

It would probably be safer.

Except he had no idea how many Genii were in this place or the layout; he needed the Wraith and they'd made a deal.

John pushed the first key into the lock and when it didn't turn, he slid the second choice in and the key turned easily. He pushed at the door enough to start it opening and then stepped back.

The Wraith let out a loud heavy breath that sounded like surprise as it pulled open the door and stepped out of its cell.

John held the creature's eyes as he threw the keychain at it.

The Wraith caught it easily, a small smile crossing its greenish face before it set about freeing itself from the chains around its middle. As it freed itself, John looked over Marcos' radio and the first goon's stunner; both looked easy to use. In fact, he was pretty certain he'd fired this exact type of stunner before when he'd been with the Elite.

Metal chains hit the floor next to Marcos' body and John fixed his eyes on the Wraith again.

The Wraith looked back; completely free to attack.

John waited a beat to see what the thing would do. He was holding a stunner in one hand and had another in his new holster, so he was far from defenceless, but John had seen how fast the Wraith could move.

This particular Wraith didn't move though, it just let out another one of those hissing breaths as it straightened up to its full weight as if it hadn't stood that tall for awhile.

It seemed that the Wraith was keeping to the deal too then.

They needed each other.

For now.

John held out the free stunner to the Wraith. "You know which way we need to go?"

The Wraith took the stunner with a slightly confused frown as it considered the weapon, but then looked up and nodded. "This way," it replied and turned quickly towards the exit out of their shared prison.

0000

The gun in Halling's left hand lit up an overheating warning, the alert unsurprising considering the constant repeated bolts of high powered energy he was firing at the rushing swarm of Wraith filling the corridor.

Shifting his stance so his right foot, and the weapon in his right hand, were slightly further forward, he sent out a fast barrage of strafing fire across the incoming mass of Wraith while he rolled the overheated left weapon down into the empty slot in his holster on his left side. His hand found the butt of his second weapon on his left hip easily and he brought it up, firing immediately alongside his right without a pause in his defence.

The floor shuddered hard under his feet, but he compensated easily as he kept firing. The heavy impacts through the Hive presumably meant that the Fleet had arrived and were exchanging fire with the Hive. Hopefully Inifee had gotten word to the Fleet ships that he and Oneakka were in here.

The attacking Wraith didn't seem concerned at the heavy weapons fire outside.

It had taken for the first charge to blow before the Wraith had realised he and Oneakka were aboard, but they were making up for their error now. The overcapacity of fighters back in the fighter bay clearly reflected an equally overcapacity of Wraith onboard as well, and it appeared as if most of them were throwing themselves at him and Oneakka.

It wasn't the best offensive, especially in the confined space of the corridor, but they appeared determined in their assault.

Halling had no idea how many active engagements he'd faced with Wraith, let alone how many had involved him storming one of their ships or facilities, but the Wraith were nearly always taken by surprised. Even after all the success of the Elite and the Alliance, the Wraith still seemed ignorant of how easily their ships could be infiltrated. Their sense of superiority failed them spectacularly in that regard.

However, once they realised they were under attack, the Wraith had a small selection of options in dealing with invaders. They often tried to simply seal up sections of the corridors, but charges and focused weapons fire could usually take cut through that; they sometimes tried venting all the air out of a sealed section the Elite were in, but all Elite carried re-breathers for that event, so it was just a case of breaking out of the sealed section.

Another occasional defence was for the Wraith to cut off all light and power in a section, even the artificial gravity as well, but all Elite trained for such eventualities, and experience had perfected their ability to still move around in limited lighting and without gravity.

Another occasionally reported defence was for the Wraith to release their tech spores into the sealed areas, hoping to infect the attacking Elite. The Elite countered that by taking a high dose of immune boosting preventative treatments to fight such infections before boarding any Wraith ships.

If the boarding Elite were near the engine pods, on a couple of occasions Halling had heard that Wraith had tried another attack by flooding local sections with radiation. That was a more effective defence and the outcome depended on the strength of the radiation exposure. As part of their pre-engagement treatments, Elite took a type of radiation preventative medicine, but that would not protect from extreme exposure.

As had clearly happened on this Hive.

Halling had never seen a Wraith ship so severely affected by anything as this one and he suspected it was not just the ship that was so damaged. It was clear that the Wraith themselves were equally as damaged. All of them had a sickly pallor, with a thin slime of sweat across their faces, and some of them appeared barely able to control their limbs as they attacked.

He suspected that the sickness wasn't just limited to their bodies either.

Despite all the ways the Wraith could attack, this Hive's contingent were fighting back by simply throwing themselves at him and Oneakka with a complete lack of interest in their own survival. They appeared almost manic in their mad assault, presumably thinking that it was by sheer weight of numbers alone that would stop him and Oneakka.

That was not the case. Working systematically forward, setting off charges on the main power-lines as they went, he and Oneakka had simply cut through the Wraith onslaught quickly and efficiently. The corridor floors were littered with dead Wraith, an almost literal carpet that he and Oneakka had to step over and around as they pushed their way deeper into the Hive, moving closer towards the target central node.

A series of blasts of Wraith stunner fire flew past Halling as he pushed forward, only one blast vaguely getting close enough to skim across his arm. The Wraith's aim was a weak as their realisation that stunners were not going to work on him and Oneakka. The defuser tech danced the stunner bolt away across Halling's arm as he focused his fire on the few Wraith near the back of the current mass of attackers who were firing the stunners. He took one down at a good distance, but the others kept firing. The blasts were hitting the backs of their own warriors now though, so Halling focused back on the front attacking lines instead.

"Safe distance reached," Oneakka shouted from behind Halling's right shoulder. Halling nodded with an exaggerated motion, as it was so loud in the corridor that Oneakka surely couldn't be sure he had heard. Even with the constant weapons fire, the roaring, hissing and snarling of the Wraith, there was also the still ongoing blaring intruder alarm cutting on and off through the hallways. Halling was grateful for the hearing protection the radio links earpieces provided, even when the links were not currently working.

Halling stopped in the middle of the flickering lit corridor, bracing his feet for the next charge to blow. He felt Oneakka's hand against the middle of his back, the procedure ensuring that both of them were braced, and a split second later Oneakka detonated the explosive.

The explosion was loud and abrupt, shaking the air around them. The Wraith ahead stumbled back, snarling and covering their faces as pieces of the corridor's walls and bits of the ceiling started falling down around them.

"Watch above!" Oneakka shouted as he shoved hard at Halling's back.

Halling lunged quickly forward and to one side with the push, getting out of range of whatever it was that Oneakka was warning him about. Keeping up forward stunner fire, Halling braced his legs and glanced back as quickly as he could.

The reason for the shove was very obvious. The last charge had brought down a section of the corridor's ceiling a metre or so back. There was no corridor or room visible above through the hole that Halling could see, but Oneakka was moving back under it to check.

The floor shuddering hard under him from the battle outside as Halling turned back to face the direction of their advance, firing at the Wraith mass once again.

However, it appeared that the collapsing ceiling section had finally cut through the wild assault mentality of these Wraith and they were pulling back, the ones at the front seeming panicked now that they were in Halling's direct line of sight.

He shot quickly as the crowd ran away, and he saw that there was a large intersection ahead, into which the retreating Wraith were disappearing around both corners at the end of this corridor.

Well, some of them were peering back round. Halling fired at the corners, discouraging them to try their luck.

"Oneakka?" Halling called since Oneakka hadn't reported on the ceiling yet.

"All clear," Oneakka replied from only a few steps behind Halling. "Nothing up there. Looks like part of the structural skeleton of the ship collapsed when I blew the power-line near it."

Halling nodded, his eyes still forward as Oneakka stepped up into his peripheral vision.

"Our target is up on the right round the corner at the far end of that intersection," Oneakka supplied.

"Good," Halling commented between the blaring alarms.

Oneakka's stunners blasted forward through the air, hitting a Wraith peering around the right side corner of the intersection ahead. Halling lifted his left arm to see the screen of his pad around the back of his left wrist. It showed the outline of the intersection ahead. There were two corridors leading immediately off it to the left and the right, but he and Oneakka needed to get through the intersection to the rooms beyond.

"Grenade going in right," Oneakka shouted and Halling watched the dark metal grenade tumbled through the air, sailing down the corridor and landing perfectly placed to the right side of the intersection.

Halling shut his eyes on his silent third count and heard the grenade detonate loudly. He snapped open his eyes to see the right hand corner ahead was collapsing, crushing Wraith and scattering more bits of Hive wall across the intersection's floor.

Halling pushed forward quickly, firing repeatedly at the Wraith scattering out of view.

"Grenade going in left," Oneakka called as they neared the entrance into the intersection.

Halling paused his firing for a split second during which Oneakka stepped forward and to the right, getting the angle right to lob the grenade in an arching curve around into the left side of the intersection, aimed for the entrance to the corridor just to the left out of view.

Halling closed his eyes on the third count again and the grenade pushed hot air back towards him almost immediately.

Halling was moving forward before he even had his eyes open again, moving in time with Oneakka so that they both arrived into the intersection, covering one direction each. Halling was on the left side so he fired towards the right, where parts of the corner and corridor entrance were still collapsing with wet dying pieces of webbing and broken pieces of structural skeleton.

The simultaneous attack wasn't necessary in the end, for the Wraith that had been able to get away had already disappeared from view. The only Wraith still alive in the intersection were those partly crushed under pieces of corridor wall. Oneakka fired at them, removing them from their crushed misery, while Halling checked his pad again.

"No more immediate life-signs," Halling reported. "All retreating both directions and around the corner ahead. Target node room should be up around that far corner."

Halling strode through the now empty intersection, heading for the single exit ahead. Beyond it, a corridor stretched away to the right, according to his pad's map, so he pressed his shoulder to the edge of the exit and peered very quickly out. As the pad had predicted, there was a long and narrow corridor on the other side, at the end of which Halling could see retreating Wraith.

The way was clear, but Halling took the time to consult his pad, as it was possible that the Wraith had left a little explosive gift behind. Except all scans on all frequencies that the pad was still about to detect despite the still present static in the air, were clear.

Halling looked back round to where Oneakka was watching over the intersection, both his weapons held high and ready, and his attention switching between the entrances into the intersection.

"Way clear for now," he reported to Oneakka.

Oneakka nodded once, his back to Halling. The floor shuddered under them and a few pieces of the ceiling dropped around Halling's boots.

"Smoke grenade and I'll head round to the node engineering room, you hold here," Halling told Oneakka between the blares of the alarm, while he pulled one of the slim smoke grenades out from his holster.

"Go," Oneakka agreed with another nod.

Halling checked his pad once more, triggered the grenade and quickly threw it around the corner into the narrow corridor beyond. The snap hiss of the grenade was just loud enough to hear between the blaring alarms and the shaking of the walls, and smoke started lingering around the corner.

Halling moved quickly, stepping around into the smoke and through it, aiming for the open doorway that was his target up on the left. The smoke wasn't damaging to humans, but the density of the smoke was designed to particularly interfere with Wraith eyesight, so if any were down the end of the corridor and thinking of attacking, they wouldn't be able to see him slip quickly into the side room off the corridor.

Weapons raised, Halling quickly entered the engineering room for the central node, but it wasn't quite as empty as the pad had suggested. There was a dead Wraith lying across the floor that had clearly been fed upon by another of its kind; though, oddly, it also had some sort of metal tool sticking out of its desiccated left eye socket.

Halling stepped over the body as the floor shook with another impact from outside the Hive, and headed towards the main console as he pulled out his last remaining charge. He pushed the soft sticky base of the charge against the curve of the Wraith console and pulled out the charge's trigger unit. He jabbed the prime button on the charge and the trigger unit lit up correctly in his hand. All ready, Halling turned back round, stepping over the dead Wraith once again, and headed out of the room and back into the hazy corridor outside.

Back out in the lingering smoke, he turned back to the entrance into the engineering room and quickly pressed his pad up against the outside of the 'doorframe'. He triggered a quick sequence on the pad and the device emitted a short burst of the basic Wraith frequencies that activated their doorways, and immediately webbing slammed shut across the room's entrance. It wouldn't reduce the damage he planned for the node, but it should contain some of the debris from collapsing the corridor outside.

Moving quickly back down the short end of the corridor, Halling stepped back around the corner to join Oneakka.

"Charge in place," Halling shouted.

"Moving," Oneakka stated and started forward back through the intersection. There was still no sign of another incoming wave of attacking Wraith. Had they given up?

The trigger unit vibrated in Halling's hand. "Safe distance reached," he reported to Oneakka, who paused. Halling set his left hand against the middle of Oneakka's upper back, bracing them both, and triggered their last charge.

The sound of the explosion was partly muted this time, but the effects were instant. The lights above immediately flickered and died, plunging the intersection into complete darkness.

It was also suddenly blissfully silent, apart from the occasional splats of pieces of wall and ceiling dropping onto the floor. The intruder alarm had stopped and there wasn't anything to be heard.

"That worked," Oneakka stated in the darkness, the glow of his own pad becoming clearer as Halling's eyes adjusted to the darkness, only for a faint flicker of a bluish light to come to life overhead. The Hive's emergency power was kicking in; it would keep basics going like air circulation, but otherwise the Hive was showing barely any power on Halling' pad.

Though there was a growing mass of red dots on the screen. Halling turned slightly to reorientate himself in the low light. "We've got life-signs building up around the end of the corridor near the node."

"Either looking to fix the damage to the node or attack us," Oneakka concluded, his voice low.

Halling nodded; the first part of their mission had been achieved pretty efficiently though and the Wraith would struggle to get that node working again now its controlling consoles were destroyed.

Which left the second part of their mission to complete. Halling adjusted the range of his pad, seeking out that extra warm life-sign. He noticed that there was far less static dancing across the pad's screen now the power was down.

"The weapons impacts have stopped," Oneakka noted and Halling paused, becoming aware of the lack of shuddering and occasional shake from the battle going on outside the hull.

"The Hive's weapons are down," Halling concluded. "The forward section's node is still operating, but its too low to be useful."

"The Queen?" Oneakka asked.

"I'm already scanning for her," Halling replied as he worked the range of the pad's sensors out further. "She's not in her chamber anymore. Here – she's moving. Three floors down from here."

"She's a runner," Oneakka concluded with clear disappointment.

Halling nodded; the Queen would be heading down through the Hive to the escape craft set in the base of each Hive. "We leave now we can probably chase her down."

Except, the distant sound of hissing and snarling caught at Halling's ear.

"I'm detecting masses of Wraith moving towards both fighter bays," he reported from his pad, "but there's a load holding place at the end of the node corridor. In fact they're incoming," he corrected as the dots started slowly moving.

If they left now to hunt down the Queen, this group would easily catch up with them and attack them from behind, thereby slowing them from getting to the Queen in time.

"We need to split up," Halling concluded. "You deal with these and I'll go chase down the Queen."

Oneakka looked round at that, just enough to look over his shoulder, and Halling saw the worried frown creasing Oneakka's brow. In the low light it was almost as if Oneakka's pale complexion glowed in the emergency lighting.

"It's a Queen," Halling objected, annoyed at Oneakka's sudden returning overprotectiveness.

How many times had they faced far worse situations than this and Halling had proven his skills? Sitayi' prophesy might have obsessed them both these last weeks, but this situation was very different from whatever fateful day she had predicted.

"This is our _known_ enemy, Oneakka," Halling pointed out forcefully as he pulled out his left secondary weapon and checked it over. Whether Oneakka agreed or not with the plan, this was what was going to happen.

He might not survive what Sitayi had seen, but until that day, Halling was determined to live everyday as the Elite he had always been. And hunting Wraith and their controlling Queens was something that he was very experienced at doing, regardless of Oneakka's fearful worries.

Oneakka looked away, his expression hidden again. "You just want another tattoo to finish up you left arm," he muttered.

Relieved at his friend's acquiescence, Oneakka's faith in him unquestioned in facing Queens at least, Halling smiled tightly down at his pad as he moved around Oneakka and headed across the intersection. The Queen was now four floors down. He needed to go.

"She's moving fast," he reported. "I should be able to cut down through the floors of the closest sweeper transport channel."

"We don't have links," Oneakka pointed out.

"Inifee will be back in the bay soon enough and patch the links through the Ancestor system," Halling returned as he reached the exit off the intersection that would take him in the right direction to get to the sweeper transport channel. If the floors were weak with the radiation damage, it probably wouldn't take him long to blast his way down through them and catch up with the Queen.

"Head back to the bay when you're done," Halling added to Oneakka over his shoulder just before he left, "and I'll meet you there."

"You'd better," Oneakka called back, looking down the length of the intersection as he lifted both his weapons, shifting to the corner on the other side of which the Wraith were closing in.

Halling locked eyes with his friend and nodded. After all these recent weeks of doubt and fear, it felt good to be back doing what he was supposed to do. What he was good at. Here he was the strong and respected Elite he had worked to be, not the frightened creature he had allowed himself to become following Sitayi' warning.

Of course that wouldn't change what she saw from happening, but at least he had been allowed at least one more victorious battle to be the man he had lived his life to be.

With Oneakka covering this way, dealing with this mass of Wraith looking to try and stop them, Halling was free to indeed claim that next tattoo.

And if it turned out to be his last battle with a Queen, then it would hopefully be a glorious last marking to claim.

He'd ask Oneakka to ink it for him.

0000

Seeal grabbed at the Ancestral console in front of her as Inifee angled the ship round and under the Hive at a ridiculous speed. Or course she couldn't feel the forces on her thanks to the fantastically engineered Ancestral tech, but she could damn well see what was happening and her stomach wasn't happy about it.

Swallowing down the rising bile, she watched as the Hive twisted round outside again as Inifee turned the Ancestor ship's belly to the underside of the Hive. The uneven thick dark hull of the Hive rushed under them, the stars and an upside down looking Fleet ship just off to the right.

She knew the position of ships to each other was all relative in space, but her body felt the simulated pull of artificial gravity so, as far as her primitive brain was concerned, those ships were hanging upside down above her and she'd just gone through some sort of spinning loop.

Her stomach rolled again.

She quickly 'dropped' her gaze to the hull disappearing under them as Inifee flew along the belly of the Hive, heading back towards the fighter bay where they'd dropped off Oneakka and Halling.

"Should we really be moving this fast?" She asked Inifee; how could there be anything like a decent reaction time when they were moving at this speed?

Something smashed into the hull off ahead of them; energy fire from one of the attacking three Fleet ships they'd met on their way out of the system. There were apparently more ships incoming, but these three big battleships were clearly giving the Hive a good pounding. The Hive itself might be lacking power in the entire back half of the ship, but it still clearly had working weapons.

"Best to be a moving target," Inifee replied to her question, sounding far too much like he was enjoying himself. Pilots.

"Don't the Fleet ships know we're here!?" Seeal exclaimed as more weapons impacted the Hive's belly off to the right.

"Cloaking shield remember," Inifee replied simply as he expertly piloted around the dancing blasting fire outside.

"I know," Seeal replied. "But they know we're trying to get back in there."

"Taking out the Hive is far more important than watching out for us," Inifee replied calmly.

She glared round at him as she gripped the console. "That's nice to know."

Inifee grinned, his eyes forward and his hands on the simple steering device of the ship. How could he still be smiling in this situation?

"You'd think keeping this Ancestral ship in one piece would at least be important to them," she muttered as she looked back out the front, in time to see a large protrusion on the hull's surface come rushing into view.

She tightened her grip on the console about to shout an unnecessary warning, but Inifee shifted the ship aside in a lightning fast move.

The holographic display over the front window abruptly reappeared, providing the schematic of the Hive once again. This time though there was a flashing dot in the middle of the ship and lines of Ancestral text around it.

"They've shut down the Hive's central power node," Inifee interpreted the display. "It's grounded; even manoeuvring thrusters are down."

Seeal felt a physical burst of relief – that meant that Oneakka was at least alive in there still.

"So, the Elite will be heading back out, right?" She asked Inifee.

"They usually go take out the Queen too," Inifee replied as he leant one way quickly.

A burst of light ahead of them snapped her attention back round, just in time for her to see a massive fireball exploding ahead of them. She had a split second to wonder if fire should actually burn in space before they were ploughing through it.

"Wraith shit!" She cursed loudly as she instinctively closed her eyes. There was no explosive heat, as her basic human nervous system expected, and she opened her eyes to see the Hive's hull reappearing on the other side of the fire. She looked quickly back over her shoulder, only remembering too late that this ship had no back windows.

"You need to fly more," Inifee laughed.

"I need to stay on the ground more," she responded more loudly than she intended.

She knew how to fly small ships this kind of size, but she'd never really been a natural pilot. She preferred being on the ground where a fight involved easily controllable things like guns and fists. Not hurtling around in a stomach churning spin in the vacuum of space, explosions blowing up in your face and while moving at speeds that really should be forcing her eyeballs out the back of her head!

"Didn't you used to live on a space station?" Inifee asked almost conversationally.

"It hardly moved like this," she argued as Inifee re-angled their approach, moving up and around the side of the Hive now. "Isn't this the part of the ship that the Fleet are firing at?"

"Hive's weapons are down," Inifee replied. "Our target bay is ahead."

The Ancestral display flared to life again and she watched the outline of the bay glow ahead of them.

"Uh oh," Inifee muttered as a series of red dots appeared in the bay's outline.

Seeal focused her eyes forward through the display to see the real-life action it was showing. Little flashes of light were pouring up out of the bay.

"The Hive is launching fighters," Inifee explained the obvious.

This was going to make getting into the bay more interesting.

As was the new blazing bursts of weapons fire as the Fleet ships started exchanging fire with the fighters.

00000

It hadn't been that long since Sora had left to get to Dahlia, but it felt too long to Ladon.

He had started obsessively checking his pad, waiting for any kind of news. Where were Maloo and Tyrus with an update? Or any of the rest of their circle?

He'd decided to send his construction team home earlier than planned, citing that he was worried about the latest Alliance-wide alert. The explanation had clearly been accepted and they had dispersed quickly, clearly pleased to be free sooner than planned.

Which left Ladon finally alone in the construction room with no eyes watching him.

He walked to his workbench against the side wall and listened to the thick silence.

It all felt wrong.

Surely there should be some news by now.

Had Kolya ended Major Sheppard's life yet? Had the Elite found something in the Confederation links? What was Cowen going to do in the face of these threats?

Had Sora gotten to Dahlia and were they both safely heading down into the underground city? He had no way to know.

What if Cowen truly did suspect him and had targeted Dahlia?

It occurred to Ladon then that he was now entirely alone in the construction room.

Perhaps it had not been wise to send Sora away after all.

Stood at his workbench, his back to the open door, he shifted his stance, looking over his shoulder to the open doorway. He lowered his hand to his holster and unclipped the cover that secured his sidearm weapon in place. He couldn't remember the last time he'd actually fired the weapon; perhaps during the assault on Atlantis?

Perhaps he should have gone with Sora and Dahlia. There were plenty of excuses as to why he might visit the underground city. He had an elderly Aunt living down there still; he could use the pretence of visiting her to explain why he had left the complex.

The sound of footsteps started up in the distance.

Sliding his pad into his pocket, and keeping his right hand on the butt of his weapon, Ladon edged towards the doorway.

The footsteps were hurried. Tyrus perhaps?

Ladon moved into the doorway, risking peering out.

It was Tyrus and he looked worried, his eyes practically bulging to share what he knew.

Ladon quickly waved him inside and shut the door as soon as Tyrus crossed the threshold.

"What has happened?" Ladon asked.

Tyrus let out a loud nervous breath. "He's gone."

"Who's gone?" Ladon asked.

"Cowen."

"Off-world?" Ladon asked, shocked that he actually had done it.

"No," Tyrus shook his head. "He's left the complex, taking all his Generals and his guards with him."

Ladon frowned, confused. "Where have they gone?"

"We don't know," Tyrus puffed. "Did you hear about the links search?"

Ladon nodded. "Sora said the Elite are searching the Confederation links into the main network."

"Once he heard that, Cowen told Pendrick to prepare a lockdown for the Parliament complex," Tyrus relayed. "I was in a meeting with Pendrick and other security about it, when Commander General Reed came in and told Pendrick he was in charge of the complex and then just left."

"Cowen's left Pendrick in charge?" Ladon repeated. As a lead security member, there was no reason to question why Pendrick had been left that responsibility, but still for Cowen to take all his Generals and guards and leave...

"General Maloo sent me a quick message that Cowen was taking them all out of the complex, but I've not heard from him since. I came here as soon as I left the lockdown meeting with Pendrick," Tyrus finished.

Where would Cowen go?

"You're certain Cowen's not gone off-world?" Ladon checked.

"He hasn't. Part of the lockdown is securing the Portal and I checked with our contact in Portal security," Tyrus reported confidently. "Where's Sora?" He glanced around.

"She's taking Dahlia down to the meet point," Ladon explained, but his mind was working hard.

If Cowen hadn't gone off-world then the only explanation was that he had gone to ground. He had heard the Elite were sniffing around the Confederation and so he was retreating to more secure ground with his most trusted Commander General Reed at his side.

Which was the exact opposite of what Kolya's plan proposed.

Would Cowen retreat to the underground city? Or...

"The Palace," Ladon realised. It was one of the most secure facilities on the homeworld. With a bunker level set beneath the Palace's shiny display of surface living confidence, Cowen had offices, full communications access, and personal quarters all just below ground. The Palace was built to withstand heavy assault from orbit or land, and was Cowen's official seat of power. It was where he would feel safe and in control still; hidden in his well fortified prison.

What he thought that would achieve in the face of the Elite and their search of the links was unclear, but then it had always been the Genii way to go underground in the face of any perceived danger. Their people had survived as well as they had by the mere fact that they had hidden themselves away from the eyes of the Wraith.

Which made always made the original plan to get Cowen to go off-world to the Primary planet all the more questionable. In the face of conquering an enemy, Cowen might have left in order to oversee an enemy's defeat, which would allow Ladon's explosive device to remove Cowen and his loyal battalion on one swoop, but this situation was very different.

Ladon turned from Tyrus, pacing away as he tried to think it all through logically. "With Cowen in hiding, Pendrick is in charge of the Parliamentary buildings, and he's part of our circle. A loyal follower of Kolya."

"You think Pendrick is going to seize power in Kolya's name?" Tyrus asked with a heavy frown.

"That would never work," Ladon disagreed. "Cowen is in the Palace, but he could easily send his guards, or Commander General Reed, to arrest Pendrick via the underground tunnels. Cowen wouldn't need to stop out of his Palace to stop that; he is no less in charge by being in the Palace."

"So Kolya's plan has failed?" Tyrus concluded.

Ladon turned away again. "Something doesn't make sense. It never has. Kolya was going to use Sheppard as a hostage to obtain weapons from Atlantis, but there's been no talk of that. It was supposed to draw Cowen off-world to suppress Kolya's attempted coup."

"And your weapon would deal with him," Tyrus nodded.

"But Cowen would never go off-world when he is under threat here," Ladon frowned. "Why would Kolya think he would?"

"Maybe if the situation with the Elite becomes so bad, Cowen will run off-world," Tyrus suggested.

Ladon shook his head. "There's no evidence of Cowen colluding with Kolya, so why would the Elite turn on him to that degree?"

"The Elite are searching the links," Tyrus replied, "maybe Kolya has planted evidence against Cowen for them to find?"

"Possibly," Ladon frowned. "But I still don't believe Cowen would go off-world in such a situation. Kolya is an excellent strategist; he wouldn't make such an obvious miscalculation. He's worked hard to turn public opinion against Cowen, which has made Cowen dig his heels deeper into the ground, and surely makes him _less_ likely to leave the homeworld and his seat of power. He's far more likely to do exactly what he has done and fortify his position in a well defended location of strength. Cowen would be more likely to cut off all ties with the Alliance and the Elite rather than surrender his throne."

A sudden thought occurred to Ladon.

"Except, what if this is the plan?" He considered out loud. "Kolya knew Cowen would go to ground...taking his most loyal with him." Just like they had planned for the Primary planet. "What if the explosive device isn't to be used on the Primary planet...but here? Under the Palace bunker?" Ladon felt a chill pass over him.

"What?" Tyrus asked, shocked at the suggestion. "No, the weapon you designed would be far more destructive than that."

Ladon froze in place, the horrific logic of the plan suddenly falling into place. "The blast radius would take out the Palace, this complex, and most of First City. Those that might survive on the edges of the city would die soon after from the radiation exposure. But the other surface cities would be fine, and most of our people still live in the underground cities. It would just be First City; all the Parliamentary complex and workers, all of Cowen's power structure, and all of his loyal military leaders and his personal battalion would be obliterated."

"Kolya wouldn't do that to his people," Tyrus shook his head, but he looked worried now.

"Wouldn't he?" Ladon asked. "He's flooded the planet with destructive Quantum and other drugs, started up gangs of rioters and he's risking alienating the Genii to the Elite. Think about it, all the trouble has been coming from Second City. If First City is destroyed, it will become the main City and they will welcome Kolya back as a returning hero. They'll blame Cowen for what happened; the evidence the Elite are looking for will probably fit into that. Kolya will be seen as the victim of Cowen's rule able now to return home as one of the last surviving leaders of our people."

"That's why he hasn't told us the real plan," Tyrus added. "Because he expects us to die in the explosion, along with everyone else in the conspiracy."

"There wouldn't be anyone alive from the conspiracy to tell the truth about what happened," Ladon realised.

Why had he given the device to Kolya? He had never meant for it to be used on a populated area! It had been designed to fight the Wraith and, on this one occasion, to eliminate Cowen and his battalion on the Primary planet.

"We need to evacuate First City," Tyrus stated.

"We do that and it'll warn Kolya," Ladon shook his head. "He could set it off the second he realises we're on to him."

"How?"

"He's obviously got someone willing to press the trigger, or perhaps he'll send the signal via the links network," Ladon considered as he rushed towards the closed door, getting a grip on the cold metal door handle.

Tyrus' hand caught at his arm. "We have to get below ground then; follow Sora and Dahlia down to the meet point. We'll survive then and tell the truth of what happened."

Sora and Dahlia! Were they safe?

"You need to do that; get down to the meet point and make sure Sora and Dahlia are there or on their way. I need to stop the weapon from detonating," Ladon argued. "I can find it and I have an override code."

He pulled the heavy door open and rushed through. He needed to get down to the emergency access tunnels that connected the complex to the Palace, following in Cowen's retreating footsteps.

Where would Kolya hide the device though? It was small enough in design that it could probably be concealed in a closet or in a storage area in the Palace's bunker. Kolya's loyalists could have wheeled it in there via the tunnels with it disguised as anything!

"Ladon, you need to come with me," Tyrus protested, catching Ladon's arm again.

"No," Ladon pulled his arm free. "I can't let him use my device like this. I have to stop him."

"You can't do it alone," Tyrus argued.

"Yes, I can," Ladon told him. "I'm the _only_ one who can stop it."

0000  
TBC


	33. The Error

**Chapter 33 – The Error**

John moved as silently as he could down the hallway, the Wraith moving with eerily silence ahead of him.

There hadn't been any helpful side corridors or stairs immediately outside the cells, so they'd had to follow the same route that had previously taken them to the room with the dentist torture chair.

Fortunately, there were no guards outside that particular fateful door, but as the Wraith led him quietly forward, John started to hear distant voices.

The Wraith paused and looked back at him, lifting one long pale finger up and it pointed off to the far right ahead. John peered around the Wraith's shoulder in the direction of the pointed clawed finger; part of a closed door was just about visible ahead. John was almost certain that as where the voices were coming from.

The Wraith lowered his pointing finger and then waved the way forward. Apparently the gesture meant 'follow me' even for the Wraith.

Clutching his Genii stunner tightly, John nodded and the Wraith led the way into a small intersection, off which the closed noisy door stood to the right. The Wraith led the way to the left though, down the only other available corridor. John followed closely, but not too close, while trying to watch all directions at once. The closed door was tempting him to keep looking at it though. If this was a movie, the door would probably abruptly open and a random Genii would wander out needing the bathroom or something and happen upon their escape.

The door stayed closed though as John followed the Wraith quietly away from the door, though John managed to overhear a few bits of the conversation inside the room.

" _...madness! We should kill them and leave_ ," a voice rose louder over the general rumble of worried voices from the other side of the door.

" _Kolya says this will be seen through; the Elite will not find us here_ ," another voice answered, perhaps Pranos?

John wondered if would be better to storm the room and take the Genii by surprise, but he had no idea how many were behind the door or how far below ground he and the Wraith were. As the door grew further away, John decided this was the better option and looked forward around the Wraith to see the hopeful sight of a flight of stairs headed upwards.

The Wraith slipped to the edge of the stairs, peering up them carefully. John tucked in close behind the creature's shoulder, keeping his attention focused mainly on the way they had come. The closed door had remained closed, but he was too far away now to overhear any more intel. The Genii were afraid of the Elite, but it sounded like they also didn't think the Elite would find them. That had to be idiotic thinking – from what John had seen, the Elite didn't fail at much. Hopefully Teyla was close to finding this place, and he might even run into her breaking-in while he and the Wraith were breaking out.

It occurred to him that she probably would think him teaming up with a Wraith as kind of crazy. She would have a point, not that the Wraith super-hearing wasn't real useful right now.

The Wraith shifted next to him and started quietly up the stairs. Gun high, John followed, noticing that the steps were made of concrete and had been painted in white, which was clearly very old, the paint dirty and peeling in places.

The Wraith reached the top couple of steps and paused, tilting its head like a dog listening to distant fireworks.

John crept up next to him, and the Wraith looked round. It held up two pale fingers, inadvertently making a gesture that was anything but friendly. John ignored the unintended impolite meaning, understanding that the Wraith meant that there were two Genii somewhere close by on the next level. The pale hand then pointed off to the left at the top of the stairs.

Two Genii up around the left hand side.

John nodded that he understood and the Wraith nodded back before it started forward, leading the way up onto the next level.

The new corridor was painting in the same old white paint, with a red band along the walls at waist height.

The Wraith moved forward to a corner ahead and rested its shoulder against the wall. John slid in behind it, and could already hear the scuff if boots on the floor around the corner. A Genii guard, and it sounded like he was walking along the corridor with the bored pace of sentry duty.

John glanced to the Wraith, only to find the muzzle of a Genii gun pointed right at him. Except he saw immediately that the Wraith was simply looking over the weapon with confused curiosity. John pushed the muzzle of the gun away from him and shook his head at the Wraith. They needed to do this as quietly as possible.

He slid his gun into Marcos' holster and pulled out the knife instead, holding it up for the Wraith to see and made a 'shush' gesture with his other hand against his lips.

The Wraith angled its head with possible confusion, but John just moved around the creature to lean out around the corner.

The Wraith abruptly gripped his shoulder, stopping him. John looked to the Wraith to see it lift a hand, asking for him to wait. John waited, aware that the guard's footsteps were growing close, except they then stopped, shifted on the spot and the footsteps started going away from them.

The Wraith let go of his shoulder, and John nodded his thanks for the warning. This trusting a Wraith really was bizarre, but they were making a decent team so far. John carefully leaned around the corner, trying to show as little of himself as he could.

The back of a Genii guard, this one in the more usual greenish Genii uniform, was pacing away from them. Beyond him, the corridor carried on ahead to then curve off to the left, where John saw a shadow shifting suggesting the other Genii as pacing away just out of view.

There was no time to be too careful though.

John lowered his left hand to the Genii radio on his belt and, the knife in his right hand, he slipped quickly around the corner, moving up behind the Genii.

It wasn't a big distance to cover, but the chances of him being seen were pretty high. Holding his breath, John got to within a few feet of the guard and then briefly triggered Marcos' radio with his left hand.

The Genii paused and glanced down at the resulting faint burst of noise from his radio.

John struck.

It was a technique he'd been taught a long time ago from the types of elite forces back home that preferred people didn't know how easily and frequently they could kill people. It was designed to be efficiently quick and hopefully quiet.

He reached round the Genii' neck with his left hand grabbing the guy by his chin, covering his mouth with the hold, and pulled the guy's head sharply to the left; at the same time, he brought the knife around and down over the Genii' right shoulder and into the top of his chest.

The Genii was taken completely by surprise and had no time to react; all he could do was try to shake John off him, but the knife was already in his lungs and heart.

Unfortunately, the guard in the next section of corridor chose that moment to appear. He was clearly bored of his patrolling and it took him a second to realise something was wrong.

The Genii' decidedly non-energy powered gun rose up, but the Wraith was already moving, racing past John towards the new threat. The Wraith, like some sort of flying squirrel, leapt at the guard.

John saw the guard's face pull into an expression of complete panic at the Wraith flying at him, but he still managed to fire off a couple of rounds before the Wraith landed on him.

The sound of the gunfire echoed loudly around the narrow corridor, which was followed swiftly by the snap of what was likely the guard's neck in the hands of the Wraith. John lowered his own victim to the corridor floor, pulling the knife free, and hurried forward.

" _Where is that gunfire coming from?"_ Pranos' voice demanded out of John's stolen radio and also from the two other radios lying on the corridor floor. Damn it.

John ran after where the Wraith was now disappearing down the corridor. Jumping over the neck-snapped Genii, John felt his right hip and knee almost threaten to give out, but he pushed on. The running felt harder than normal though, making him feel short of breath as he hurried after the Wraith.

" _Someone answer me!"_ Pranos demanded from the radio, so John lowered his hand to the radio and ran his fingers over the dial that was the volume level, lowering Pranos' voice to a far more subtle level.

The Wraith was at another flight of stairs and paused, waiting for him apparently. As John arrived beside the Wraith, the creature held up three fingers this time and pointed to the top of the stairs.

Subtly was gone now, so using the element of surprise was all they had. John swapped the knife for Marcos' gun again and nodded.

Together they ran up the stairs, but the Wraith was faster than him and John heard it roar as it leapt up out of view. Gunfire blasted loudly as John reached the top of the stairs and held still, sighting along his gun as he carefully rose up onto the new level.

There were three Genii targets in the small room up here, two of which the Wraith had pinned against one wall, and it was feeding on one of them. The third Genii was flat on his back on the floor, presumably having been knocked down by the Wraith; however, he had some fight in him and was rolling towards the Wraith. Gun fire blasted and John saw the Wraith flinch, but it didn't stop his feeding.

John fired on the third Genii, taking him out of the equation. Only, through a doorway ahead, another Genii appeared and started firing. John shuffled quickly to one side, getting out of the guy's direct line of sight through the doorway, while simultaneously firing back. His energy blasts hit part of the doorframe, but one must have hit home as the gunfire abruptly ceased.

The Wraith roared to the right though and more bullets fired. John swung round to see that the second Genii the Wraith had against the wall while it fed on his colleague had gotten his gun out and was firing into the side of the Wraith. John took a wide lunge to the right so he got a clear line of sight over the Wraith's right shoulder and fired two quick shots at the Genii.

The Genii slumped within the Wraith's grip, stunned. Or perhaps dead, John wasn't sure about the settings on these guns. He'd put it at its highest setting, but whether that was a deep stun or a kill shot, he didn't know.

The Wraith dropped both bodies and turned, though it slightly waived on its feet. There was blood pouring out of its sides.

"You okay?" John asked as he headed for the doorway out of here.

"It will heal," the Wraith replied.

"Come on then," John headed through the doorway, passing the stunned/dead Genii lying in the middle of the next smallish room. The walls and design of the place looked different up on this level. The paint looked fresher and there was an almost decorative metal shade around the light fixtures John ran under as he led the Wraith into the next room along. There were no more Genii yet – which was odd.

"We going the right way?" He asked the Wraith as he stepped quickly through the next door, sweeping his gun around the new room. There were only stacks of wooden crates to one side and a lone door directly ahead. This level of the bunker was weird – it just seemed to be a series of interconnected rooms in a line, all with their doors open to each other.

The Wraith grunted behind John as he followed.

John moved quickly across this new room to the next doorway.

" _The prisoners have escaped!"_ Echoed up from John's waist. He paused, back against the doorframe into the next room in this series of weird storerooms. The Wraith stopped next to him, clutching its side.

" _Both of them?_ " Pranos voice asked.

" _Two down on level two_ ," someone else added.

" _Find them!_ " Pranos ordered angrily. " _Kill the Wraith on sight, but try and capture Sheppard alive_."

John looked round to the Wraith. "That's interesting for two reasons," he whispered quietly to it. "First, clearly they like me better than you." The Wraith huffed a quiet laugh, but the laugh seemed to catch its wounded sides. "And second, if there's only one way out of here, why are they already on our six? Surely it's obvious which way we've gone."

The Wraith angled its head and there was a faint wince to its face. If it was a Human, John would have read that look as awkward embarrassment.

"You _do_ know the way out of here, right?" John checked.

The Wraith looked back the way they'd come and then round again. "These places are all similar enough."

"All these places?" John repeated in growing disbelief. "What does that mean? You said you know the layout."

"They have moved me to different prisons over the years," the Wraith replied, looking back the way they had come again. "They are similar enough."

"How long have you been in this one?" John asked.

The Wraith grunted and did a sort of shrug thing. "I believe they brought me here the day of your capture."

John's heart dropped and he closed his eyes for a beat. "Great, John. Trusting a Wraith," he cursed quietly.

"It was not my intention to deceive you," the Wraith offered as if it cared.

John shook his head. But then it didn't really matter ultimately, as it wasn't like they wouldn't have escaped if the Wraith had told him that earlier. "Maybe then the reason why they haven't found us yet is because this probably isn't the damn way out."

"No, the air is growing fresher this way," the Wraith replied, looking away again. "They are coming up the last stairs."

Right, no more standing round chatting.

John led the way into the next room, moving as fast as he dared while looking out for more guards ahead. Though, that might not matter because if this wasn't the right way, then they were pretty much screwed.

0000

Long Sleep rose up from the Hive Primary's body and, despite the floor shuddering under him and the growing sounds of explosions and battle not far away outside, he closed his eyes.

The Hive Primary had been excessively well fed, even while the rest of the Hive had been starved. That life-force now flowed throughout Long Sleep, filling in all the formerly ravenous empty places inside him. His veins and sinews were full, his flesh filling out where before he had been hungrily shrivelled. He could feel his very bones becoming stronger, his muscles growing back to former strength, and he stood taller than he had in an age.

He had thought himself far more clear-thinking than the others on this Hive, and that his brief patch of life-force the Primary had given him before had helped repair him. However, now he understood how untrue that had been. He had been far sicker than even he had realised.

For now, like after waking from his usual overly extended long hibernations, a thick fog had cleared from his thoughts. It was as if his mind had been sat in thick cloud and was only now shining bright again.

How sickly he had been, and how close to death he had been living. Lack of feeding was not enough to explain it in so short a time; no it had clearly been the work of the evil drive's radiation.

Now though...now, he could think clearly and he was strong once again.

A loud forceful explosion crashed from behind and he turned, looking over his shoulder to the open entranceway behind him. Several Keepers were stood in the corridor outside, their eyes wide and fearful. He suspected their nervousness was not just due to how close the Queen Killers were to them, for they looked in at him with equal fear in their eyes. They were huddling outside the entranceway, afraid and too sickly to know how to save themselves.

"Go!" He shouted at them. "Find fighters and leave!"

They didn't seem to need more than that, as they immediately disappeared to the left, while another smaller explosive force shook the air.

Abruptly more warriors and drones appeared, racing past the entranceway to the left, all wide-eyed and escaping the battle behind them.

He had no time.

He rushed out to join the flow, heading down the narrow corridor back towards where it intersected with the spinal corridor.

He needed to get off the Hive, but how to do so without being destroyed by the enemy outside the hull? If the others were leaving in fighters to fight the enemy, then he might be able to slide a fighter down under the belly of the Hive and somehow escape away from the battle. There were planets in this system, which, though without useful life, could be a safe haven. But how to get to them from the Hive without being destroyed?

The floor vibrated dramatically under him as the spinal corridor appeared ahead, and the warriors around him all stumbled against walls and the floor. Pieces of the ceiling started to patter down over them all, and Long Sleep paused to look up at the structural weakness above him. The webbing was dead and the bone structures were fractured and unsupported.

Warriors brushed against both his sides as they rushed around him to get to the spinal corridor.

It occurred to Long Sleep that the same damage affecting the Hive would be occurring to the fighters, so any fighter he took would be damaged. Which was why the Poison Queen had given so much power to her private escape ship on the underside of the Hive...

If he could get to that, it would be a far stronger vessel to use to escape himself. Except, had the Poison Skerti gotten to it already?

He hurried forward as a loud snap and hiss echoed at the end of the corridor behind him, the air suddenly smelling strongly of smoke and dirt.

He slipped into the spinal corridor, turning to the left to head back up the corridor. There was a maintenance chamber up here for the left side thrusters, so there would be an interface.

Warriors and drones were amassing in the corridor here, getting in his way, but a light push against them easily removed them from his path. They stumbled away like weakened prey at the edge of death. Why they were amassing here instead of escaping was foolish. They simply needed to follow the spinal corridor down the Hive to reach the left fighter bay.

Ignoring them and their damaged minds, he triggered open the entranceway into the thrusters maintenance chamber. The console inside lit up for him the second his fingertips touched it. The lazy responses to his touch previously had not been like that, so had it perhaps been his own mind that had reduced the speed of the interface before?

He slid his mind against the Hive's basic consciousness and swore he could feel it recognise him. It occurred to him then that this might be why it had used the dead soil to communicate with him about the Skerti, because he had been too sickly to hear the Hive properly. It clearly recognised him now though and information flowed to him without request.

The Queen's Chamber appeared in the glowing display, but it was empty, except the display quickly shifted down several more floors to show a bright dot of a life-form moving along a corridor. Was it the Skerti Queen? Was she moving along the ceiling of the corridor?

He hadn't asked the interface to show her to him, but it had. Was it possible that the Hive wanted him to kill the Skerti, or perhaps it was responding to his own latent hatred? If it were in his power, he would kill the Poison Queen, for she was not only responsible for all of this, but also to ensure that she could not do the same again.

Except, her mind had been so powerful. How could he fight against that?

If he stole her escape ship though, that would trap her on the Hive perhaps. The Queen Killers could then deal with her...

The display shifted to the escape ship at his request, and he saw that it was still fully powered and awaiting the Skerti descending through the Hive to get to it.

The problem with stealing her ship was that it would mean he'd have to face her and win. In the old legends, no Wraith had ever survived an encounter with a Skerti. Surely that was warning enough. There were no pictures or descriptions of the Skerti for no Wraith had survived to share what they had learned.

It would be foolish to fight her.

The option of the escape ship wasn't going to work.

A sudden explosion rocked the chamber and part of the wall near him exploded outwards, throwing him from the console and the chamber dropped into complete darkness.

He lifted his head from the floor, shaking away the effects of the impact, the feeding easily repairing the daze and his vision sharpened to see a small fire in the corridor outside. He blinked through the darkness at it, watching as a drone started patting at the fire, its own hands catching fire.

Long Sleep shifted himself upright. Power was completely down, and the explanation was obvious. The Queen Killers had taken down the central node.

He climbed up to his feet in the dark chamber and turned back towards the console. The power line in the wall by the interface had exploded outwards, no doubt a ripple effect from the damage to the node, and the console was completely dark.

He was out of options.

The emergency lighting glowed to life through the entranceway from the corridor outside. The power line in this chamber had been too damaged so even emergency power wasn't possible in here.

The Hive was truly lost now.

He felt a burst of deep regret. The Hive had reached out to him to save it, and he had failed. There was nothing else he could do but escape and hope to live long enough to warn others of his kin of the Skerti threat.

He stepped back out into the spinal corridor, seeing that more warriors and drones had joined the massive group at the corner to the node's corridor and, with loud furious hissing roars, they starting rushing back into that corridor. They were attacking the Queen Killers en mass again.

Fools.

He needed to get past them, head down the spinal corridor to the fighter bay –

Energy fire started blasting out from the node's corridor pelting the wall of the spinal corridor opposite.

Long Sleep slid to a halt. He needed to cross that space to get down the corridor.

Roaring and blasting filled the air, the warriors and drones throwing themselves down the corridor at the Killers.

Long Sleep hissed with annoyance and looked back up the spinal corridor. There was no quick way to get to the fighter bay on this level. He would need to go back some distance and find a sweeper chamber...except they were likely without power.

He needed to go this way, but he needed to cross the line of fire.

Clearly the others were not blocking enough of the shots with their bodies as they rushed the Killers, and they were not achieving any success judging by the pure amount of rapid fire and howling death cries he could hear.

He edged towards the open space, wondering if he could risk rushing across it. Several energy blasts powered past his nose and slammed into the wall to his left.

Long Sleep pulled back sharply, taking large long steps back from the path of destruction.

Several bodies fell out of the entrance into the corridor, littering the floor now across to freedom.

The blasts had stopped hitting the wall.

Several others stood near him, all of them clearly preferring to stay out of the node's corridor now.

Long Sleep stepped towards the right hand wall and rested his back against the slimy dying wall. He could go back and work his way down the levels. But, the enemy ships were outside and were perhaps sending more Queen Killers aboard, so the more time he wasted onboard the more likely he would be killed.

Two of the warriors to his right decided to abruptly risk rushing across the line of fire. Two direct and very precise blasts took them down.

The Queen Killers were said to have deadly aim, but Long Sleep had never seen anything like that before!

He glanced to the three other warriors pressed against the wall to his right. They looked panicked and almost wild.

"Don't do it," Long Sleep warned them.

It was useless though, they couldn't think clearly anymore.

Two launched themselves across the open space, electing to try leaping across the distance to the safe side down the spinal corridor.

Several blasts tracked them easily.

They landed on the other side successfully, but not alive enough to keep going. Long Sleep watched them die quickly.

After all these thousands of years, of his special mutated batch's uniqueness, this was how he was to die? Shot down in a fraction of a second by a Queen Killer?

It would leave his brother as the last of their batch, and how long might he live in the face of the Killers and the Armoured Herd?

The lone warrior to Long Sleep's right started to lower himself to the floor, moving up to the edge of the corner of the node corridor. He had a stunner and was clutching it tightly. Didn't he remember that the stunners didn't work on Queen Killers?

Long Sleep opened his mouth to hopelessly warn the warrior, but the fool decided to try his luck.

He leant around the corner and started firing the stunner down at the Killer.

Two loud shots hit the warrior squarely in his face and he dropped back to the floor by Long Sleep.

Now he was the only one left.

Hissing out a breath to calm himself, he focused his hearing on the Humans. Only, he realised that he could only hear one set of boots moving down the corridor, and a single creak of armour as the Human moved.

There was only one Queen Killer in the node's corridor.

Where was the other one?

Long Sleep darted his eyes back up the spinal corridor – was the other one coming in from another direction?

Or was it headed elsewhere...

The Queen.

The Queen Killers always took out the Queen.

A thought occurred to Long Sleep.

It was crazy and unlikely to succeed, but the Human was getting too close to the end of the node corridor now. Even if he ran back up the spinal corridor, there were no others to distract the Killer stepping around the corner and firing at his back. He had to fight, or be more creative.

He took a breath and looked towards the dark corner around which the enemy was approaching.

"Human?" He called out loudly. "Do you hear me?"

000000

Mind Song peered around the cold wall, listening intently.

"Well?" Sheppard asked, the prey communication device sending out quiet static from his hand. "Any idea where we're going?" The Human challenged.

"The air smells better ahead," Mind Song replied. "The surface cannot be far away." There was something else as well. "There are other sounds."

"What sounds?" Sheppard asked.

The communication device sounded again from Sheppard's hand. " _They've been up the side fourth level_ ," a prey voice stated.

Mind Song hissed. "I cannot hear with that noise."

"We need to know where they are," Sheppard argued. "Plus they haven't mentioned the Gate yet."

"The Portal?" Mind Song checked his understanding.

"Yes," Sheppard replied slightly testily. The Human was tiring, holding his body slightly forward and his breathing had gotten shallower with their fast pace.

Mind Song had considered feeding on him, using the last drops of Lantean power in Sheppard to help repair the wounds in both his sides. The wounds were deep and, if he did not feed soon, then it was likely that he would die before they escaped this prison.

Sheppard might provide some sustenance, but then he would be alone in this fight, and Sheppard had appeared to keep to his word so far in working together.

They needed each other, as Sheppard had put it.

"Why haven't they said anything about guarding the Gate to stop us escaping?" Sheppard whispered thoughtfully.

"Perhaps we are some distance from it on the surface," Mind Song considered as he peered back around the wall. There was one long hallway on the other side, with no obvious turnings off it. He couldn't hear any prey moving around down its length, but then there were the other sounds.

" _We're headed up on surface and will head over to the side entrance,_ " a voice announced out of the communications device.

"I think they're trying to cut off our route out," Sheppard decided.

Mind Song nodded his agreement. "Which means we are close." He slipped round into the hallway, moving carefully forward. His right side throbbed deep. At this point he rather hoped they did encounter more prey so that he could feed.

" _If they're headed up, we can trap them_ ," another voice stated from Sheppard's hand behind Mind Song.

The strange sounds were growing louder and Mind Song tried to locate which direction they were. It sounded like many voices, at different distances, overlapping with other noises, but all muffled, presumably by distance above?

He slowed, aware that the sounds had dimmed slightly.

He stopped, and felt Sheppard almost walk into him.

"What is it?" Sheppard whispered.

Mind Song took several steps backwards, the air growing lighter and the sounds grew faintly louder. He turned to the wall, seeing it was cut with long lines.

"There is a way through here, I think," he shared with Sheppard.

The Human slid his hands over the wall. "A hidden entrance in a hidden bunker? Only a Genii would think of that," Sheppard muttered.

A new sound echoed in the near distance. Mind Song pulled back. "They are coming,"

"Shit," Sheppard cursed. "You sure there's a damn door here?"

Mind Song returned his attention to the wall, pushing his palms against it until suddenly he felt one panel give. "Here," he said with a relief as he pushed hard.

A doorway pushed open as weapons fire suddenly echoed loudly from down the hallway.

"Go! Go!" Sheppard shouted, pushing at him and firing back at the prey.

Mind Song rushed into the tight space beyond the door, his shoulders brushing against both walls has he hurried in and around a tight, almost concealed, turning to the right and a narrow set of steep stairs were revealed heading up.

He could smell fresh air for certain now and those noises were louder.

"This way," he called to Sheppard behind him, who had shut the concealed doorway, but with nothing to block it shut, there was nothing to slow the enemy following them.

As Mind Song rushed up the narrow steps, Sheppard right behind him, he heard the concealed door slam open below them.

His sides were excessively painful now and he had to almost drag himself up the steep narrow steps. The stairs were completely enclosed, clearly cut directly into the cold stone ground of this planet, but at the top, casting in from the top left, there was sunlight. Panting with the exertion, Mind Song reached the top step only to find the way off to the left blocked by a mesh metal door. He shoved against it, but it didn't move, only then he realised there was a large heavy bolt holding it closed. He pulled hard on the metal bar, sliding it aside as Sheppard was firing down the stairs to the enemy below them.

The mesh door swung open easily now and Mind Song practically fell into the room beyond it. Scrambling forward on his belly, he crawled quickly through the metal doorframe, Sheppard partly over his legs.

"Get in," Sheppard was ordering while firing down the stairs.

Mind Song got up onto his knees and reached for the mesh door, swinging it back round to shut it again, Sheppard scrambling inside in time.

The metal door clamoured loudly as it shut, but the bolt to close it was on the other side!

"We need to fuse it shut," Sheppard gasped. "Here." He pushed in, setting the point of his energy weapon against the seal of the door and its thick metal frame.

Mind Song pulled back, unsure if Sheppard's plan would work. Sheppard, on his feet, set one boot against the door, holding it shut, and started blasting at the edge of the door with the weapon, hoping to melt the door in against the frame.

Leaving him to that, Mind Song turned to examine the room they were in. It was small, but had a high ceiling and, like the stairs had been, it was clearly cut directly into the bedrock. It reminded him of the many tunnels and hiding places Humans had designed to hide from his own kind.

He twisted to look back at the mesh door. He had seen the design before – they were designed to dissipate Wraith stunner fire. This was a bunker to hide from a culling, which was why the mesh door locked from the inside. Which meant...

He got up onto his feet, but had to stagger against the wall. His sides felt empty of blood and life, but he forced himself to move further down the room and, sure enough, in the right wall, there was another mesh door.

"There is another door here," Mind Song announced to Sheppard.

"I can't believe that worked," Sheppard muttered from behind, his weapon quiet. "I've got part of it melted into the frame," he explained. "Melted into the bolt too."

Mind Song nodded, but he was moving towards the other door that was their way out. As he staggered down the room, he realised that the sunlight in here was coming from a series of tiny windows set right at the top of one wall where it met the high ceiling. That was the surface! They were almost there and the sounds he could hear were from up there.

Mind Song reached the other mesh door, almost crashing into it he was starting to feel so weak.

It was shut.

He reached down to the bolt, but it wasn't there. He looked through the tight metal mesh with angry realisation.

The bolt had been moved to the outside!

Mind Song hissed in frustration and tried to get his fingers into the tight metal mesh to get a hold of the door, but the metal was woven too tightly and it cut into his fingertips.

Roaring a pain-filled cry, Mind Song tried next to slam his shoulder into the mesh door, hoping brute force would make it give way, but the bolt and frame were heavy and he was weak.

He stumbled back on a rebound.

Sheppard appeared into view, kicking out with one foot and his boot hit the mesh door hard, but it, again, only caused the door to shake within its thick metal frame.

Sheppard tried kicking at it again.

Mind Song reached up to run his fingers around the frame, but it was indeed thick metal and had been securely bolted deep into the very bedrock. There was not even the slightest edge for him to get his claws into and try and force any of it apart.

It had clearly been designed to hold back his own kind.

"Damn it!" Sheppard cursed angrily, his attempts to kick the door open obviously unsuccessful. The bolt on the other side was too thick and strong.

The Human bent forward, his hands on his legs, and panted with exhaustion.

They were trapped.

00000

These Wraith really weren't right.

Not only did they look sick, they were behaving irrationally, and were dying far faster from their wounds than normal. As they continued with their previous technique to just hurl themselves at him, most of them looked like they were already at death's door; so Oneakka helped them over that threshold.

Wraith had always tended to employ the 'rush at the enemy' technique. It was borne from being the apex predators of the galaxy for so long and from not instinctively fearing counterattack from their prey. With their larger numbers, heightened speed and strength, they had always had the advantage; until the last decade or so when Alliance tech and strategy had really started hitting back. For creatures that could be thousands of years old, that had not been long enough for them to adapt.

Some Hives had tried to fight back more effectively, trying new weapons against the Elite, especially when they boarded Hives and Cruisers, but the Elite could adapt far faster than the Wraith were prepared to do. Plus, since most of the Wraith that faced Elite died, they didn't have the chance to share what they'd learnt from the encounter, whereas Elite developed, cooperated, and evolved.

Clearly this Hive was not the type to evolve beyond patching in an excessively dangerous new piece of tech. The damage from that choice was evident in everything here, including the Wraith's own minds. He'd never faced Wraith so stupid before. They just ran at him wildly, reaching out towards him desperately, as if they hadn't fed for years.

They certainly weren't thinking about their attack. They hadn't even attempted to move through the Hive to attack him from behind. He had kept a close eye on the pad on the back of his left hand, checking for any sneak attacks. None came and instead they just rushed at him, falling easily under his weapons fire.

They fell easily under his rapid firing. As the pile of Wraith built up in the corridor, providing a natural obstacle for them to get over, they just clambered over their fallen, slowing their attack and making them easier to target.

As the length of the corridor increased that they needed to navigate, he had time to keep checking his pad. He adjusted the display, seeking out Halling's personal beacon signal within the Hive.

Halling was already two floors down and moving down to the third. He'd have found a sweeper chamber and would be cutting down through the floors; that's what Oneakka would do.

Shifting the pad's display back to his current local area, he fired down the length of the corridor, taking out the last group of Wraith still standing at the end of the corridor. Though two Wraith abruptly tried to nip across the end of the corridor.

He took them down with two shots.

He checked his pad. There were three life-signs hidden around the left corner at the end of the corridor.

He checked the state of the ceiling of the corridor ahead of him and it wasn't dripping pieces of webbing anymore or collapsing that he could see. He checked the power reading on his two primary weapons and decided to swap the right one out for his right secondary gun, allowing the primary to cool down a bit.

As he pulled out the secondary weapon, two of the life-signs attempted to leap across the end of the corridor.

The new secondary weapon took them down easily.

That left two.

He'd deal with them and then go after Halling, since this had gone quicker than he'd expected.

Stepping over and around the littered Wraith, firing on two that showed faint life readings and who weakly tried to grab at his ankles to feed on him.

He saw a shadow shift at the end of the corridor – one life-sign was edging to the corner.

He lifted his right weapon and sighted down it.

The Wraith leant out and started to fire a stunner.

One shot, followed by a second for good measure, took it out.

That left just one, still hidden out of view.

Oneakka moved forward again, easily splitting his attention between where he was walking and the view ahead. Why the last Wraith didn't just run away was anyone's guess; but the radiation had clearly done some real damage to their brains. He suspected that, even if he hadn't killed this lot, they probably won't have lasted much longer anyway. Perhaps the threat of this Hive hadn't been quite as bad as they had all feared. It was the new drive tech that was the real threat, clearly not the Wraith using it.

He rolled one dead Wraith drone aside with his boot so that he had a small open space to stand. He checked the pad again; none of them lying around him showed even the faintest hint of life; there was just the one still hiding around the corner.

Oneakka adjusted his pad's range again, looking for Halling's beacon.

He was five floors down now.

There was a large warm life-sign reading not far ahead of Halling's beacon. He had almost chased down the Queen.

He was clearly going to get that tattoo he wanted for his left arm's design.

"Human?" A voice called out from around the far corner.

Oneakka glanced up from his pad.

"Do you hear me?" The voice called again.

The Wraith's voice was stronger than Oneakka would have expected considering the damage from the radiation. He checked the pad, calling up further details. The reading on the one around the corner was stronger than the others' had been. Interesting.

Maybe there were some Wraith who could withstand the radiation effects better.

Or maybe this Wraith had fed on more of the unfortunate civilians the Hive's fighters had managed to sweep up on Atreus.

Oneakka lifted his weapon, pointing towards the corner at estimated Wraith head height, waiting for whatever plan the Wraith was playing out to unfold.

"Human?" The voice called again, sounding a little desperate now.

Interesting.

"Yes?" Oneakka replied out of pure curiosity.

"I am not your enemy here," the voice stated.

"Sure you're not," Oneakka countered sarcastically.

"We were all tricked," the voice replied. "We were led here by a false Queen. She is escaping as we speak."

"She won't be getting away," Oneakka promised confidently.

It was interesting though; he'd never heard of a Wraith attempting to turn Elite on its Queen to save itself. Normally Wraith would do anything to protect their Queen, and when she was taken out, they often felt confused and lost for awhile afterwards.

"Your kin might be hunting her," the voice replied, "but she is not what you think. She is not even Wraith."

Oneakka frowned at that announcement.

He glanced at the pad out the corner of his eye and back to the corner. The life-sign of the Queen had been a little unusual in its heat signature.

"I am the only one who knows the truth of what she is," the voice continued. "We were all fooled by her, and her mind is too strong. I had thought the ancient stories were just legends spread by the Lanteans. But, they're real and she is one of them. Their name has not been uttered for thousands of years."

Oneakka froze, his skin chilling.

"She is your true enemy, and if her kind have truly returned, then we are all doomed, Human."

The ancient evil returned.

Halling had gone after her alone!

Sitayi' prediction was happening. Happening now!

Oneakka turned and ran, leaping over bodies and rushing around the corner back into the wide intersection where he raced towards the corridor down which he'd last seen Halling disappear. He jabbed at his links, but static was still all that echoed in his ear.

He should have stayed with him, should have trusted his instincts not to let Halling out of his sight.

The panic he'd been fighting for all these weeks seemed to clamber up through Oneakka's throat, fighting with his already panting breathing as he ran down the hallway.

He lifted his pad, the display hard to read while running so fast, but he could see enough to know there were no Wraith ahead, but Halling he was now on the same level as-

As his foot hit the floor with his next stride, it abruptly started giving way under him.

He tried to correct himself, but suddenly everything was collapsing under him, the corridor disappearing and the air filling with empty space around him.

He was aware of falling, hitting something hard, tumbling away and dropping violently into blackness.

00000  
TBC


	34. The Location

**Chapter 34 – The Location**

Oneakka gasped awake, panting into the blurry darkness around him.

Faint unfocused dots glowed high above in the darkness and soft cinders were falling against his face.

Burning.

He could smell something burning.

He blinked his eyelids hard, trying to bring focus to the blurs above him, and he was aware that everything sounded distant and echoing.

Burnt Wraith flesh.

The identification of the smell arrived out of an old damaging memory.

The fire burning around him, the Queen raging in her death that he'd brought upon her and all those in the base that had been built on the bones of his people. But her rage and the fire...a fire to die in. A pyre to his people.

He could feel the heat, the dancing orange and red, the burning pieces of the Wraith tech melting down the hallway walls around him.

He fell back away from her death throes, his own death a bitter taste of blood on his lips as the acid ate away at his face.

No!

That was years ago.

The old flashback slid back, but never all that far away.

He wasn't there anymore.

That was long ago.

It just tried to resurface in moments like these... Moments like these?

He blinked hard again, trying to focus his vision and his thoughts.

Moments like these?

Something was wrong.

Really wrong.

He realised that, as the dots above him started to focus a little, that he was lying on his back. Lying wasn't good.

He rocked to sit up.

Except pain crushed instantly through him, tearing away any renewed focus and sense. He heard his own scream of agony though, heard it echoing around, before he clenched his jaw tight, holding in any more cries that might give away his position.

Because he was on a Hive.

The Hive.

He had memories of falling, hitting things.

His head was throbbing even as the overwhelming wave of pain continued, but the agony had brought with it an old friend – adrenaline.

The hormone surged through him, abruptly sharpening his senses and, finally, his vision and hearing started to clear.

He blinked up at the towering sides of a tall hole, cut down through at least three floors of the Hive. He could actually see each level defined by the torn edges of corridors cut off around the towering hole.

He was lying at the bottom.

Burning – where was the burning smell coming from?

Carefully, he turned his head to the right and the partially burnt remains of a Wraith lay within arm's reach. That explained that then.

There was nothing else around the remains except large broken pieces of slightly burnt Hive – blocks of broken wall and flooring, scattered bits of structural bone, and other completely undecipherable bits of debris.

He turned his head to the left, the throbbing sensation in his head sharpening.

On his left, there were larger pieces of girder bone and another few Wraith bodies – all dead, though he felt more adrenaline shoot through his system at seeing them.

And next to one dead Wraith, lay one of his own knives, still within its scabbard. It was bent though, partially crushed under a large piece of nondescript Hive.

No immediate threats.

He looked back up the towering hole.

His head throbbed.

Concussion.

He'd had enough of those over the years to recognise that the throbbing wasn't too bad.

It was the other pain that was more worrying. It had receded just enough now that he could actually breathe properly. He drew in several deep breaths, but each inward breath sharpened his awareness of where the pain was coming from.

As was his awareness of the thick warm sensation under him.

He lifted his arms, both of them obeying him and both of them were intact as he lifted them into view. But they were stained with dark liquid. There wasn't enough light to see the red, but it was clearly his own blood pooling out under him.

He lowered his arms and took in some more breaths, focusing, and then lifted his head – just his head this time – and looked down his body.

He was indeed lying on his back, though his right hip was slightly higher, and he was fixed in place with a piece of Hive structural bone above him. No, not above him – _through_ him.

He panted at the sight of the shard of Hive piercing up through his lower belly, protruding up between the broken bottom edge of his body armour and his inner right hip. Each panicked breath was making the pain worse though.

Medical kit.

He needed a medical kit.

Reaching down his right side, he slid his wet fingers to his holster – which was fortunately still around him – and followed the line of it under his back. It was higher than it should be, but then the shard through him would have moved it. It didn't necessarily mean the holster was broken.

If he couldn't find a medical kit...

He had to lift himself slightly on the shard to squeeze his fingers further under him, over one pouch and the hilt of his other knife still attached to his armour. He pushed his hand deeper, wiggling his fingers around to try and find the edge of the medical kit's case.

The pain was getting too much though, his vision dimming; his brain was overwhelmed with pain and he was probably losing a lot of blood.

He pushed his fingers onwards though and, suddenly, his fingertips brushed against a hard but slightly rough edge. The kit!

It was wet with his blood, but the rough case was designed to be easy to grip. How many times had he tested that over the years? Too many.

After pausing to breathe, the pain ebbed enough for him to start following the edge of the case to find the release clasp.

There – a thicker bit. With loud puffing breaths, he forced one fingertip into the clasp and suddenly it loosened.

He tugged the kit's case out from under him in rough pulls, uncaring now at the pain. He needed the case.

Free now from his back, he lifted up the small rectangular box and held it up. It wasn't broken – the thing designed to be practically indestructible. Not for the first time he did silently thank the designers of the tech.

He set the case on his chest and laid still for a few breaths. His head was hurting less now, but he could feel his hands were shaking and he was starting to feel cold.

Shock.

There was no time to waste.

In the faint glowing light, he reached up to his chest with both hands and pulled open the case. The sections inside folded up and out as the lid was freed. By memory and training alone, he pushed his fingers into the base of the case and found the blissful shape of the injector. He pulled out the metal tube and clasped it tightly in his right fist. He lifted his left arm and jabbed the injector into the inside of his elbow. He felt the hidden needle breach his skin and the cool flush of the injection pouring into him.

The effects were almost instant.

Pain relief and chemicals to reduce his body's inflammatory response.

He jabbed the injector into his arm again.

The effect of the medication increased as it poured around his bloodstream, and his head started to soothe; but it only made the burning, raging pain in his lower belly all the more intense.

He lifted his head and reached down to the shard sticking through him. With his shaking fingers he felt around the fist-wide bit of Hive until he found his own wet and broken skin.

The pressure hurt and he could feel blood seeping around his fingers at his touch, but he needed this. Taking snorting breaths, he jabbed the injector into the pain-filled flesh. He repeated the injections around the wound.

Five – no six, taken in total.

He laid back, gasping, and waited for the medication to kick in some more.

The shakes were reducing already.

He blinked up at the broken towering hole above him.

HALLING!

The memory hit him harder than the pain.

Halling was hunting the alien alone!

Sitayi' warning!

He had to move, get to Halling.

Had to save his friend.

He lifted his left hand back up into his view, but his sensor pad was gone, and with it his ability to send a warning, or even know where Halling was.

Was he already too late?

How long had he been unconscious?

Was Halling closing in on the unknown enemy now? Unaware and about to die!

Oneakka turned his head one way and then other, desperately looking for his pad.

There was nothing but bits of Hive and dead Wraith.

His radio link.

He reached up to his ear, but he could already tell that the earpiece had gone. So he reached to the collar edge of his armour, seeking out the trigger for the links, but he could already feel just a broken torn wire against his fingers.

He had nothing.

No way to get help to Halling.

No way to warn him!

Oneakka roared in frustrated, pain-filled anger.

It was stupid to do that, to draw the enemy to him, but the primitive raging cry oddly helped.

He might still have time to warn Halling. If he could find something to send a signal.

He lifted his head, looking up around at the edges of the hole soaring up around him. There was Wraith tech in the corridors up there – if he got to a console. Maybe he could call for help or signal Halling somehow.

He had to save Halling.

But he was useless lying here.

He reached for the medical kit, pushing the injector back into it, and closed the case with a snap. He set it carefully on the debris laden floor next to him; there were tubes of foam wound sealants inside that would hold the wound closed and help reduce blood loss...

He took several loud steadying breaths, willing himself up to the task, and reached down to the spear of Hive bone pierced through him.

He set his hands around the shard and started pulling himself up off it.

0000

"Damn it," John panted down at the stone floor under him. His legs and back hurt, probably from kicking at the mesh door, but maybe because he felt like he had just run a marathon.

He worked to breathe in enough air, clearing the light-headedness with some deep breaths. Though, the faint pain in the centre of his chest was a tad worrying.

He felt like he was sick, or exhausted after a weeklong mission.

The damn feedings had clearly made more of a mark than he'd realised on the way up here.

But, standing around feeling sorry for himself wasn't going to help get them out of the current bind.

He straightened up and, still breathing hard, contemplated this second mesh door. Why a mesh door for God's sake? It felt like a form of torture, because being able to see through it meant that he could clearly see the nice empty narrow corridor on the other side, which lead to a turning that, presumably, led to another flight of stairs up.

The Wraith had given up trying to find some purchase around the frame, but John examined it himself as his head started to clear and the chest pain faded.

The door had been well made, the frame a single thick bar of metal and the seal with the door was near perfect. He pulled out Marcos' knife and tried to work the point of the blade between the frame and the door, but there was no room. Okay so the metal was a no go, but maybe the stone around the frame? John redirected the knife up against the edge of the stone cut frame the door was fixed against. A few jabs with the sharp point of the bloodied knife proved the stone wasn't going anywhere soon.

Damn it.

"They're in the holding room," someone shouted from outside the first mesh door and John spun round to see a Genii goon appear at the top of the stairs on the other side of the door.

The Wraith, going with its instinct maybe, rushed towards the door, growling and hissing at the Genii. Despite the fact that the goon had the mesh door between him and the Wraith, the guy's own instinctive panic kicked in and he threw himself back from the door. That resulted in him colliding with another goon who had squeezed in behind him outside the door. The two Genii collided and started falling out of sight.

In a sudden rather comedic moment, John heard shouting, falling bodies and cursing as the Genii probably bowled down the stairs, taking out the others on the stairs with them.

That wouldn't hold them back for long though, so John hurried back to the first door, his eyes dropping to the patch job he'd done to fuse the door shut. It looked like a reasonably good plug of melted metal, but there were more than enough Genii goons out there to put their weight against it.

Another Genii appeared at the top of the stairs and the Wraith smacked his hands against the mesh door this time to frighten the new goon. This guy though didn't completely freak, but he did fire off the large Alliance stunner in his hand.

John pulled back quickly, but the bolt of energy simply blazed across the mesh door in a bright arc of light.

Okay, that explained the mesh doors then – they dissipated stunners. They were also probably going to be good at stopping bullets too, which was a win right now.

And he needed a win.

"Stop firing!" a voice commanded from stairs and the stunner-firing Genii was shoved back against the wall as a new goon appeared.

She was the first female Genii John had seen here, and she had the look that suggested she'd probably been working with Kolya for a long time. She had to be in her sixties, but she had the tough calm and strong-shouldered build of a woman who had been in the military a long time.

She frowned angrily through the mesh and started shoving at the door.

John reached forward without thinking, pressing both his palms hard against the door to brace it. The Wraith did the same next to him, but, fortunately, the door didn't budge. The woman shoved harder, getting her shoulder against it, and another Genii appeared beside her in the confined space and started pushing at the door as well.

John pushed all the power he could into the door, feeling the mesh imprinting into his palms with the force.

The Wraith hissed at the Genii loudly and the male goon smacked the butt of his stunner against the other side of the mesh to the Wraith's hands, trying to dislodge them. The Wraith just growled at them.

The woman gave up after another shoulder barge and peered down at the edge of the door and the open bolt. John looked down at his patch job from his side.

The Genii woman cursed something and lifted her Genii radio.

"Pranos, this is Cario," she announced into the radio, glaring at John through the mesh. "We've got them trapped up in the side exit holding space, but they've managed to seal the inner door shut; we can't get to them. The Wraith is injured."

" _Understood,_ " Pranos' voice echoed out of her radio and out of the one clipped on John's belt. " _I'm on my way up_."

The woman narrowed her eyes through the mesh. "Be advised, they have one of our radio links; I recommend going to emergency channel."

" _Do it_ ," Pranos replied, his voice sounding slightly winded over the radio waves.

The woman lowered her radio and glared at John with a real nasty science teacher revealing a spot test kind of way. "You're just delaying the inevitable, Sheppard."

"Any delay is good in my books," John told her. "Gives my wife and the other Elite time to get here and start kicking Genii butt."

The Genii behind Cario looked real worried at that suggestion, but Cario didn't seem impressed and simply turned away, heading back down the stairs. "Find me a cutting torch," she barked loudly at her unseen minions.

Pranos was on his way and they were going to start cutting through the patch job on the door, so John had little time to find a way out of here.

He turned away from the door and considered the small room around them. Maybe there was another one of those hidden Genii doorways in one of the walls, but, as he looked round the room, it was pretty obvious that the space had been cut right out of the same hard rock.

The only thing in the room, besides the two mesh doors, was a wooden bench along the far wall, two wooden boxes, and a blanket lying on top of them.

And sunlight!

John snapped his attention up to the short but wide windows set right at the top of the left hand wall, set up right where the wall met the high ceiling. Sunlight meant that they were almost at the surface!

He headed across the room, trying to peer up to see through the glass, but the windows were too high. He headed to the foot of the wall and tried stretching up on his toes, but he was a good couple of feet short. The bench!

As he hurried towards the single piece of available furniture, he heard the Wraith groan loudly and he looked round to see it sagging against the wall, clutching its side. There were three very obvious bullet-holes in the side turned towards John, and he knew there were more in the creature's other side. The wounds weren't bleeding anymore, but the Wraith had said it was in trouble. It needed to feed again...well, it could stay well away from him.

"You still with me?" John asked the Wraith as he lifted the small bench and carried it to the wall holding the windows.

"I am with you," the Wraith seemed to pant out as it leant back against the opposite wall.

"Good, because we've got to get out of here before they find a way to cut through that door," John told it.

The bench up against the wall, John climbed up onto it carefully, but it felt pretty sturdy. He reached up again and this time his fingers just about reached the little lip of the windowsill above him. He still needed some more height.

The boxes.

He jumped down from the bench and headed to the wooden boxes piled on the floor. They were covered with a slightly mud-speckled blanket, which he dumped aside. The empty box on top was far too small, so he threw that aside as well and picked up the larger one underneath. Oddly, it was filled with what looked like potatoes. John turned the box over, dumping the potatoes on the floor, and hurried back to the bench. If he could maybe break one of the windows...

"You think you are going to fit through one of those?" The Wraith chuckled from across the small room.

"Maybe," John answered as he set the box on the bench, open top down, and started carefully climbing up onto the pile. His boots only just fit on the box, but it had given him another foot of height and, this time, his fingers easily reached the little windowsill of the window above him. Only, it turned out to be a real narrow sill and he could only get half the length of his fingers up onto it. Still, it gave him enough grip to start pulling himself up. Getting his boots against the wall, he managed to clamber up enough to be able to peer up over the ledge of his hands to the window.

The glass was dirty, but through it he could see grass - little tuffs of grass and, beyond them, shifting shadows.

John's grip abruptly gave out, his fingers having numbed out, and he started falling. He tried to grab back up at the windowsill, but it was no good. His boots hit the box, crushing it under his weight, and he tumbled off the bench and onto the hard stone floor.

The landing hurt, really hurt, knocking the air right out of him and the room spun around him. He gasped in, the air dirty and dusty, but the deep breaths drew oxygen back into his body and the room started to settle around him.

This really was the shittiest day he'd ever lived, and there had been some real contenders in that list.

He rolled onto his back, though something momentarily dug into the back of his left shoulder. He lifted his shoulder and a potato rolled away.

The windows glowed ruefully above John, their murky light seeming especially depressing now.

He rolled onto his left side, his body filled with sharp pins and needles as he pushed himself up off the floor. As he sat up, the Wraith appeared into his view and stooped down to pick up the still rolling potato.

"Can you reach up there?" John asked the Wraith as he indicated the little windows.

The Wraith looked up from the potato in his pale hand to the sunlight coming through the murky glass. "There is no point now."

John frowned at the defeatist attitude as he finally got back onto his feet. Beyond the Wraith, two Genii were still watching through the sealed mesh door.

"We are trapped and even if we could escape, there is no hope for me now," the Wraith muttered. "A pity; I had hoped to see the stars again," he sighed as he dropped the potato.

"If we can get up to the surface, maybe you could feed on another one of those goons," John suggested, not really liking himself for being on the side of a Wraith right now.

"Even if I did feed," the Wraith uttered as it looked up towards the windows again, "I would not make it to the Portal. There is a Human city up there."

John's heart rose at that announcement though. "Really?"

The Wraith nodded as he tilted his head. "Those sounds I heard, now I hear them clearly. Humans, many of them, carts moving, many voices," the creature's voice dropped away as it winced in apparent pain.

"We could still make a run for the Gate; they might be simple farmers up there without any weapons," John suggested weakly, unsure why he felt the need to make the Wraith feel better about its situation. Maybe so it didn't try to feed on him again.

"No," the Wraith shook its head, its white hair dancing around its green-tinged face. "They are not farmers. We are in the Armoured Herd's territory."

"Armoured Herd?" John repeated the weird term. Armoured? As in weaponized? "You mean the Alliance?" He realised.

The Wraith let out a heavy breath as it nodded.

They were on an Alliance planet? John turned to look up at the windows again, only he suddenly realised what that probably meant - they were on a Genii planet. It was probably one of the Genii Confederation's planets that the Genii representatives back on Athos always blustering on about.

Crap.

"Major Sheppard?" Pranos' voice echoed up the stairs outside the sealed mesh door.

John sighed as the disgusting Genii came into view, the other Genii shifting out the way for him.

"You've made an interesting choice," Pranos said, his head turning towards the Wraith, "and gotten yourself trapped with a badly injured Wraith." Pranos looked back at John. "Exactly how long do you think it will be until it feeds on you again?"

John couldn't help glancing at the Wraith, who was noticeably wavering on its feet.

John looked back at Pranos. "I'd rather be in here with him than out there with you."

"How do you think this situation will play out, Major?" Pranos asked in a real condescending tone.

"I'm thinking I'll just wait in here for the Elite to turn up," John answered him.

"The Elite are not coming to save you," Pranos replied with his evil snake smile. "And we have the advantage. We will storm through these doors and you will both be killed."

"And how is that any different from what you had planned for us back in the cells?" John pointed out.

"If you surrender yourself now," Pranos replied, "we will only kill the Wraith."

John frowned at that. If he was trapped in with a dying Wraith and they were going to storm through both doors soon anyway, why bother to try to persuade him out?

"And then what?" John asked, "We'll all go and have a coffee together and laugh about how you almost murdered me with a Wraith?"

Pranos frowned. "You still have some life left in you," he tried next. "You could live out the last of your days in more comfortable accommodation in the cells."

"That sounds like a real thrilling offer and all," John replied sarcastically, "but I'd rather stay in here."

Pranos glared through the mesh. "This is only going to end one of two ways, Major Sheppard. Either we breach the room and kill you both, or the Wraith will kill you first."

To John's mind, he couldn't see why either of those options would be a problem for Pranos, considering they were going to kill him anyway. So, either something had changed, or his being up here was threat to Pranos and Kolya's plan somehow.

"Then you will die trapped in there with the Wraith," Pranos concluded.

John glanced up at the dirty windows. What if those on the surface didn't know he was down here, or might try to help him if he got out? Maybe Pranos was even worried about his little operation being found out.

John turned to look at the second mesh door. None of Pranos' goons had come through it yet, so why not? Maybe getting up and round to this side entrance wasn't all that easy, or, maybe, there was some risk to Pranos' goons in being seen moving around on the surface.

Whatever the reasons, Pranos clearly didn't like him and the Wraith being up here; which meant that perhaps things were not as hopeless as John had first thought.

"No, I think I'll stay in here," John turned to face Pranos again, holding the guy's gaze through the mesh.

Pranos glared back.

Yep, now John was even more certain that being up here had some advantage.

"You are only delaying the inevitable," Pranos stated.

John crossed his arms. "Fine."

Pranos shook his head as if he couldn't understand John's choice, but then the goon was an idiot.

"As I see it," John added. "I'm now closer to the surface for when Atlantis, and my _Elite_ _wife_ , turn up to save me."

The two Genii faces just in view behind Pranos both looked at each other worriedly.

Pranos though just shook his head again. "You have no idea where you are."

"In the Alliance?" John returned.

"No one is going to find you on this planet, Major," Pranos smiled.

"That's not what you and your goons were arguing about earlier when my Wraith friend and I snuck past your guards," John pointed out. "The Elite are hunting you and, since they make their living tracking and killing Wraith, I'd imagine a bunch of Kolya's excommunicated thugs will be easy to find. Then there's my people, who have all the Ancient tech in Atlantis focused on finding you. We've taken down ancient alien races who enslave people before, so you'll be a no-brainer."

Pranos gave a fake bark of a laugh. "I had tried to be reasonable with you, but clearly you would prefer to kill yourself."

"And what do you think my people and the Elite are going to do when all they find is my dead body? You don't think they'll just forget about it and not hunt you down?" John asked, the question more for the other Genii ears listening in the stairwell.

Pranos leant closer to the metal mesh. "They won't find your body," he threatened.

"So letting them think I might still be alive but still your prisoner is going to help stop them from hunting you?" John asked doubtfully.

Pranos glared as he let out a frustrated snort. "We'll be coming through both of these doors very soon, Major Sheppard. If you haven't been fed on by the Wraith by that time, you'll meet your end at the fire of Genii weapons."

And with that final threat, Pranos turned and stomped back down the stairs, disappearing from view. "Cut through the inner door and get the surface team round to the other door NOW," he shouted to the other goons.

"Yes, Pranos," John heard Cairo reply. "Where is that cutting torch?!" She demanded.

Okay so Pranos was sending a team over the surface to the side entrance after all. John turned towards the second mesh door, contemplating the easy access Pranos' goons would have, with the bolt being on the outside.

He considered whether it was worth fusing that second door shut like the first, but then he and the Wraith would literally have no way out.

The only chance they had was to wait in here for rescue, or fight their way out once the Genii stormed the room.

John glanced round at the Wraith, who looked back at him with an equally grim expression.

This really was the shittiest day ever.

00000

The floor under Oneakka's elbows cut into his skin, the crumbled and broken pieces unstable as he crawled across them. The 'floor' of the hole wasn't a floor, it was just the top of the pile of debris and broken bodies that had collapsed down here. That he'd landed on the top had been the only thing that had saved him...so far at least.

He'd nearly passed out twice getting himself off the shard of Hive that had tried to gut him through. Sat off it, he'd managed to get the wound full of the foaming sealer from the medical kit and had smeared several packets of antiseptic clotting gel over the result. He'd only had one bandage still in a holster pouch, which he'd wrapped around his middle, squeezing it as tight as he could without almost passing out again.

He wasn't good.

He shouldn't move, shouldn't do anything that would only pump more of his blood out of the gaping hole through him.

He should stay still and wait for rescue.

But Halling didn't know what he was facing.

Oneakka had to find a way to warn him.

He'd tried to find anything helpful during the crawl across the 'floor' of the hole, but there was nothing useful.

The crawling had taken so much though. His right leg wasn't working right, but his knees were holding him up, mostly.

His suspected concussion had turned out to be an actual head-wound, as warm blood was dribbling down his forehead and into his left eye as soon as he had started crawling. It wasn't a lot, so he could wait to deal with it once he got to the side of the littered hole.

Blinking the blood out of his eyelashes, he lifted his head enough to see the torn edge of a corridor floor in the wall that was his target.

Shifting one elbow and then one knee forward, he shuffle crawled his way the last few feet to the wall. Something sticky and slimy slid under one elbow, probably dead Wraith webbing, but he kept on.

The pain was a little better, or, at least, more easily ignorable because of the medication. But, he knew he'd taken almost the maximum he could risk taking, so there wasn't much more space to use it again. He had to ration it.

Because he couldn't slow down.

He had to warn Halling.

It became a mantra in his head with each painful shift of right elbow, left knee, left elbow, right knee...

For Halling.

The wall came up fast and he reached for it, the broken edges a bizarrely welcomed touch. One more crawl of each elbow, each knee, and he reached the wall and sagged against it gratefully.

The darkness threatened him.

The Queen was raging in the fire, his face burning.

No!

He pushed away the darkness, and the flashback with it, as he snapped his eyes open and clenched his left fist tightly, digging his nails into his palm. He needed to stay conscious. Stay.

At least until...

Halling. He had to know Halling was safe.

Had to warn Halling.

He lowered his eyes to see drips of blood were falling from his forehead onto his thigh.

He had to deal with the head wound.

He still had the medical case, clasped tightly in his right fist. He pulled it open again on his thigh and pulled out the last small tube of foam sealant that still had a bit in it. He reached up to his head, following the trail of blood through his hair to find a long jagged cut along the top left side of his head, running backwards. He squeezed out the last of the foam along it as best he could, rubbing it across the wound, and then pulled out the last packet of antiseptic gel, and just smeared it over his head generally. He then wiped the last bits of gel across his forehead and wiped the blood from his face as best he could.

It would have to be enough.

He pulled back from the wall to look up it.

The edge of the dissected corridor on the next level up was directly above him and maybe ten feet up – not even twice his height. But it could have been as high as a mountain right now.

"For Halling."

He reached up to the broken edges of the wall above him, bits of debris falling away, but there were jagged ends of bone girders and supports that could make decent handholds.

He tried lifting his weight slightly to test one.

His belly screamed at him.

He let go of the handhold and huddled down against the wall again.

This wasn't going to work like this.

With shaking hands, he picked up the medical kit that had fallen off his thigh, and opened it again. He pulled out the injector.

He could take two more doses before it became dangerous.

He jabbed the injector into the inside of his arm.

And then once more.

He dropped the injector and the medical case – they were useless to him now.

The medication swamped into his system. It didn't kill the pain entirely, but it created a fuzziness that seemed to push the pain into distant numbness. It was designed to keep you alert but still be effective, but he was aware that his hearing and focus reduced a bit.

He couldn't waste the time the medication would last.

He shuffled out from the wall and reached up to the abandoned handhold. Taking a hard grip, the antiseptic gel a clingy sticky coating over his palm, he pulled himself upwards.

He grabbed another handhold and pulled, resting his chest forward against the wall as best he could until he managed to get his feet under him.

He panted hard, wavering up on his feet, before tilting his head back.

It had taken him halfway towards the floor, but he needed to get the rest of the way.

"For Halling," he whispered as he reached up, searching the broken edges for a handhold. A piece of bone was nauseatingly familiar, but it made a good hold. He reached up with his other hand and grabbed hold of another piece of jutting bone.

His belly complained at the stretch, but he was able to ignore it. For now.

He pulled, his arms straining hard, and the front of his armour grating against the edges sticking out of the wall as he pulled himself up.

His feet left the floor.

He lifted his right knee and jammed it into a gap in the wall, and pulled again.

The air stank of blood and burnt flesh as he jammed the toes of his left boot into the wall, and pushed up. The foothold almost gave way, but he braced with his arms and lifted his left foot higher.

It had worked to get him higher up the wall, but his vision dimmed and he could feel his belly tearing open around the foam, warm blood dribbling down his lower belly and into his trousers.

He ignored it though, and reached up with his left hand, scrabbling around overhead to find a handhold higher up.

For Halling.

His seeking fingers suddenly touched against a smoother surface – the edge of the corridor floor! He was almost there, but he couldn't find anything to hold onto, so he had to lower his expectations of a grip. Just under the floor level, he felt a long torn edge that was probably the structural support for the floor, and he got a good grip around that instead.

He pulled, aware that the foggy distance from the pain was reducing, his back and belly starting to feel agonising again.

He had no time.

Halling had no time.

He shoved his right knee into the wall, then his left boot, and reached up with his left hand to gasp more of the floor structural support. If he could get one forearm on it, he could lever himself up onto the corridor floor.

His right leg was shaking and his right knee slid out from the wall.

He gripped onto his handholds and pulled, his armour making horrific scraping sounds against the wall. If it cut through...

Suddenly he was higher and he shoved his left boot repeatedly against the wall until he found a good little hollow to wedge it. He slid his left forearm onto the ledge of the floor support just above his head, and heaved.

His wound definitely split open this time, but the corridor was suddenly in view. He pushed his arm downwards, pulled with his right hand and pushed with his left boot, and, abruptly, he was up and over.

His chest hit the corridor floor, bending him in half right above his wound, with his legs still hanging over the edge.

The world spun, his view of the corridor narrowing down to a dark tunnel, but he'd seen that before. He wedged his elbows forward and under his chest, pushed against the wall with his left boot, and wriggled himself up and onto the floor of the corridor.

His elbows gave out under the last push though, and he collapsed forward onto his front, his cheek meeting the hard surface of the corridor's floor in a rush.

He was out of the hole, but it had taken too much.

He wheezed against the floor, his body heavy and cold chills racing up his back.

The darkness squeezed in again, and this time he felt like he was sinking into it, his belly burning and his blood escaping out beneath him.

0000

"This one," Teyla said as she indicated the planet on the latest star map and Dr Zelenka, as he had for each she had indicated, sought out the corresponding Portal address for the planet from the Ancestral computer. The address appeared on his computer screen and slid into the long list they had been collating.

She had identified all of the Genii Confederation worlds on Atlantis' star maps and had then moved on to planets that she knew had held an old Genii outpost. There were likely far more than the Elite knew about, but at least the planets known were on the list ready for when the actual location of where Kolya was holding John was identified by the Facility.

Teyla checked her Earth timepiece. There was still plenty of time until John's captors were expected to dial back to Atlantis with their final threats. Hopefully the Facility should have a location by that point; though, with the battle no doubt raging in the Arkinian System, all eyes and focus was directed on that victory.

Or perhaps it was already over and the Hive was once again loose in Alliance space.

Or perhaps it had been destroyed already.

Were Halling and Oneakka safe?

She had no way to know any answers until the Facility made contact, until John was saved.

"I have added it to the list," Dr Zelenka remarked, but the comment was clearly a polite way of drawing her attention back to their task.

She focused back on the star maps displayed on the scientist's computer at the back of Atlantis' Control Room. She had been initially thrown by the star maps, since their view of Alliance space was from an entirely different angle, but Dr Zelenka had been able to turn the views and identify the Athosian system for her. From there, she had been able to identify all the Genii planets and moons.

There were too many though.

Too many to search in time.

And they could not show their hand too soon, for if Cowen discovered Atlantis was sending cloaked Ancestral ships onto their Confederation worlds, the political backlash could be considerable and limit any further searches. And if Kolya found out, he might see John as too much of a liability to hold alive any longer.

They had to restrict their search for when the exact location was identified by the Facility. Fortunately, Colonel Carter agreed and remained steadfastly patient in the plan.

Colonel Sumner was not as calm, and had been complaining about the plan for some time at the front of the Control Room. Si was up there with him, Colonel Carter, and General O'Neill discussing the options and waiting out the time it would take for the Facility to find the answer they needed.

The plan had been decided upon and would involve Atlantis dialling the target Portal and starting a radio conversation with those on the other side, which would allow time for the cloaked ship to head through. Even if the Genii on the other side became aware of something, the ship would be through and in the air to search and retrieve John.

If John was still alive for them to rescue.

She blinked at the star map, working away the panicked fear in her heart. "Can you show this system?" she asked Dr Zelenka and he increased the magnification to one particular star on the map. She frowned at the resulting display; there were four planets around one large blue star. No, that was not the one she was thinking. "And pull back again," she instructed and, once again, Dr Zelenka altered the view without comment.

The Portal suddenly activated.

"Unscheduled off-world activation!" Chuck stated loudly from the front of the room.

Teyla shot up from her seat as everyone else looked forward, the tension in the room reaching a renewed peak. As she moved around from behind Dr Zelenka's console, Teyla once again consulted the time. It was still too early for it to be Pranos...unless something had happened to John...

The others were already gathering around the large display screen, but all eyes remained on Chuck as they all waited to hear who it would be.

Teyla silently prayed it would be the Facility as she reached Si' side at the screen. His dark eyes lowered to meet hers and she saw the wealth of compassion in his expression; the time was almost upon them for whatever was to come.

Please be the Facility...

The wormhole blasted to life in the large room next door and Teyla took a deep breath.

"Receiving Athos IDC," Chuck announced a moment later and Teyla released her breath with desperate relief. "Usual signal coming in."

"On screen, Chuck," Colonel Carter instructed as she moved up to Teyla's side, both of them, as they had so often today, turning towards the shifting image.

Vakalis appeared.

Teyla knew instantly that something had changed, for he was no longer in the Governing Complex and was instead down in the stationhouse by the Portal. He also had a slightly dirty cloak wrapped around his shoulders, ready to cover his uniform as part of a disguise - he was ready to deploy.

"Honoured Elite," he bowed his head with a short crisp movement. "I have news from the Facility," he stated.

"The location?" Teyla asked.

"Yes," he replied. "And it is not what we expected."

Teyla blinked at that – she had not been aware that they were expecting any planet in particular.

"The Facility have confirmed the result as accurate and have even been able to identify which area of the planet the transmission originated," Vakalis explained quickly, his words hurried but precise.

"Where?" Teyla demanded.

"The Genii homeworld."

Teyla blinked. Vakalis was correct – it was the last planet within the Confederation that she would have expected.

"And it came from a sector of First City," Vakalis added.

"First City?" Colonel Carter asked.

"Their largest surface city," Teyla explained, aware of Si talking quietly with General O'Neill off to one side. "Where the Portal stands and where Genii Parliament sits."

"The Facility have provided us with the exact sector of First City, but it will be only once we are on the ground that we will be able to refine the exact location," Vakalis continued.

"Are you ready to deploy now?" Teyla checked, her mind turning.

"Yes," Vakalis replied with a sharp nod. "We have the day's traders all amassed at the Portal and the Genii have given Leader Torren permission to send through the essential trade items at a time of our choosing through the high alert."

"Good," Teyla nodded, pleased with the plan. "We will dial into the homeworld as soon as it is free after you. We will be deploying in a cloaked Ancestral craft."

Vakalis' eyebrows lifted only a fraction at the plan involving sending a concealed ship through. "A good idea," he nodded. "We will use emergency v alpha radio links channel and will start towards the location once we're through."

"We will make contact with you the moment we are through the Portal," Teyla agreed.

"To victory," Vakalis stated and reached forward, cutting off the signal without further need for discussion. The large screen went dark and, a second later, the Portal shutdown.

The Genii homeworld?

Kolya's plan was even bolder than she had suspected. To hold John just under Cowen's nose!

"The Major is being held in the Genii capital city?" Colonel Sumner stated angrily. "Cowen's city?!"

"Could Cowen be behind this?" Mr Woolsey put in as he stepped up to join the impromptu discussion.

"That does not matter," Teyla cut through the distracting discussion and turned to face Colonel Carter. "We need to deploy."

The City Lead nodded, but Teyla could see her mind working and her blue eyes shifted aside as General O'Neill and Si moved closer. "What kind of defences are there around the homeworld's Gate?" She asked.

"Extensive," Si replied.

"A shield?" The Colonel asked.

"No," Si replied. "But they have weapons quite capable of targeting ships coming through the Portal."

"They will not be able to detect the cloaked Ancestral ship," Teyla pointed out, her temper abruptly threatening to break.

"But if nothing comes through only for a large ripple to pass over the wormhole and the wind to move..." Si made the annoyingly logical point. "They may expect one of Atlantis' craft to invade to visit Cowen considering the situation. General O'Neill and I have an idea though."

"I go through, maybe with Dick here too," General O'Neill explained their plan as he indicated the rather shocked looking Mr Woolsey, "with a team; we make a big hoo-ha demanding to see Cowen. That should give enough of a distraction so the Jumper's not so obvious coming through."

"It also allows a good cover explanation for our return through the Portal," Si added. "A sudden unexplained dial-out through the homeworld Portal would be suspicious, but if we time the withdrawal with General O'Neill and Dick's return back here, that should work."

Colonel Carter nodded, her eyes shifting to General O'Neill. "Let's do it."

No more was said, for everyone broke apart, heading where they needed to be for the mission. Teyla quickly followed Colonel Sumner's back towards the stairs that led up to the Ancestral craft bay.

As she started up the stairs, Si arrived at her side. " _Could_ this be Cowen after all?" He asked as they hurried up after the Colonel's back.

"No," Teyla disagreed. "This is Kolya. It makes even more sense for it to be him. Cowen is many things – arrogant, aggressive, and a tyrant – but he has never been stupid. Why take Major Sheppard only to hold him in your main city, near where you live and hold Government? Why not down in the underground cities where John would never have a chance of being found."

"That is true," Si agreed as they turned along the short landing to the next flight of stairs. As they did, Teyla became aware that Dr McKay was following close behind them, apparently to join them on the mission. "And of all the locations that we thought Sheppard is being held, the homeworld was never a real consideration."

Teyla nodded. "Exactly. It does nothing but apparently implicate Cowen, which he would never allow. This is Kolya's work and it is still all about destabilising Cowen's rule. Even if the Elite do not believe it is Cowen, the political damage will have been done and it will be all the excuse his enemies need to discredit Cowen and encourage Kolya's followers to rise up."

"It also explains the live transmission," Si noted as they turned up another flight of stairs.

"Kolya knew we would eventually be able to locate the source of the transmission," Teyla agreed. "So he made sure it would only lead back to Cowen and implicate him."

"You realise that there is no direct evidence of Koyla's involvement in Sheppard's abduction," Si noted. "Nothing except maybe Sheppard."

Teyla understood his point, for she had thought of it as well. "It may be that Kolya was not present during John's capture," she considered, aware that she had let John's personal name slip out.

"Even if Kolya wasn't there," Si replied as they reached the top of the stairs and followed Colonel Sumner down the dark corridor towards the open doorway into the bay. "Sheppard may have overheard some of the plan or Kolya's name."

Teyla knew the point he was driving towards but was not saying for the sake of her feelings.

"They will kill him before we can reach him," Teyla stated the point directly, though her throat caught a little in the words. "The plan to distract the Genii at the Portal will help."

"They are holding him down in a bunker," Si pushed the point as they entered the Ancestral bay. Directly ahead, in the centre of the space, one ship stood with its back hatch open and already full of the teams for the mission.

"We shall just have to reach the bunker in time to stop them," Teyla stated, feeling irrationally angry with Si. He was only stating the truth; it was just that she didn't want to hear it. For there was little she could do about that aspect of the plan. All she could do was get to the bunker as quickly as possible.

Ahead, Colonel Sumner had reached the Ancestral ship and was hurrying up the back hatchway.

"John is highly resourceful," Teyla stated to Si as she lengthened her stride to power herself forward, "he will do all he can to fight for his life."

She reached the hatchway and strode up into the back of the ship, Si and Dr McKay following her into the busy space. Moving forward through the ship, Teyla focused on the front window. She would need to provide directions for the pilot and converse with Colonel Sumner on the mission once they were through the Portal.

Hopefully the Honour Guard would already be on Genii soil and tracking the location of John's prison, ready for their arrival.

Then it would be up to fate and battle to decide.

For one of only a handful of times in her life, Teyla silently prayed to the Ancestors. She had never truly believed that they could hear, or actually react, to such prayers, regardless of what Father and the rest of her people believed. However, today, she was happy to beg for any help available in saving John. After all, she was currently surrounded by Ancestor technology, in their ancient city, and about to try and rescue one of their literal descendents, so surely, if they could, they would help.

If she could just get to John in time.

Time to save him.

Time to reach him, even if the Wraith had stolen the last of his years. If she could just hold him one last time, even if it was to share his last moments with him.

In that, she could not let him down.

She did not know what she would do if she failed him again.

000000  
TBC


	35. The Betrayal

**Chapter 35 – The Betrayal**

Ladon had run as quickly as he had dared down into the tunnels that led through into the subterranean levels below the Palace. Only those with the highest security level knew the exact route through up into the basement levels under the Palace, but Ladon knew the route well due to having been responsible for installing the security tech features that lined the tunnels that led up to Cowen's personal residence and offices.

The entire populace of the Confederation were led to believe that Cowen lived above ground in the Palace, as a shining example to his people that the Genii no longer needed to fear cullings. However, the truth was that Cowen actually lived, and kept his personal offices, in the basement levels below the large Palace. The floors above ground actually served as storage space, offices for security, kitchen staff, and barracks for emergencies. Cowen instead followed the older traditions of hiding in the bunker levels below the shining example above him. It was another perfect example of how Cowen did exactly the opposite of what he said he did.

After this was over - hopefully with all of First City left intact - Cowen would no doubt tell everyone that he had spent every last moment of the crisis in his Parliamentary offices. Instead, he had in fact gone to ground under the Palace.

Which would, if Ladon was correct, be Cowen's ultimate downfall. Kolya would have predicted this and if he had been able to smuggle Ladon's explosive device back onto the homeworld...

Ladon had to find it and disarm it before Kolya could enact his horrendous plan.

Nothing was worth the loss of so much life.

Why had he created something so powerful? He had only ever meant it to be used against the Wraith, but he had been fooled, along with the others in the conspiracy, by Kolya's strength to stand up to Cowen. Instead, they had not considered Kolya's deviousness and his most recent detachment from reality that had had him actually challenging the Elite by killing Major Sheppard. Kolya had been away from the homeworld for too long and had been corrupted by the same need for power that he hated in Cowen.

But Ladon had the power to stop it.

Initially he, Hulte, and then General Maloo as well, had planned to ensure Kolya didn't rise to power after Cowen's fall but now Ladon was only interested in saving First City.

He had run past his lab on the way down here and had collected a computer pad that he had used when working on the explosive device for Kolya. He had shielded the weapon very well, but it should leave some residual readings that this pad's sensors would detect.

The problem was that the walls of the Palace's basement levels under the Palace were thick and well reinforced, so he might not be able to pick up residual readings all that clearly. Though, the process would be quicker if he got the Palace security staff to help by searching every room and cupboard. Cowen had retreated to the Palace with all his Generals, security, and his own battalion, so there should be plenty motivated to help find the device. The reasonable explanations as to why he suspected there was such a device was going to have to wait until after the crisis, but for now he just needed to focus on finding it.

He had finally reached the last tunnel up to the underground entrance to the Palace basement levels, and he looked up towards where he knew there were hidden surveillance cameras and sensors and waved at them, hoping to draw attention before he reached the entrance.

He turned the last bend and the two large doors into the basement levels appeared...

They stood open and there were no guards.

Ladon slowed as he approached the open doorway. There were always guards here.

Unless...

What if Kolya had warned those secretly loyal to him and they had abandoned their stations to get down into the underground city before the explosion?

Ladon hurried through the unsecured entrance into the cleaner lines of the deepest concrete-lined basement level.

There was no one in the long corridor ahead either.

There were usually two more sentry points along this corridor, especially stationed at the weapons and tech detector Ladon had helped install here. He walked through the detector, the various sensors attached to the walls, floor, and ceiling of the corridor around him, but clearly nothing was turned on. Normally it would light up and alarms would sound at someone walking through it with any kind of tech or weaponry.

Ladon's heart pounded in his chest.

He started running down the long entrance tunnel.

There were doors off it to the left, leading to the guards' rest rooms, a kitchen, and sleeping quarters. Each door was open and there was no one inside.

They were all gone.

How could Kolya have so many on his side? Or, Ladon realised, it was more likely that Kolya had a security lead on his side who had ordered away the guards. They wouldn't know it yet, but the guards had been saved by being sent away.

Pendrick. It had to be him. He was obsessively loyal to Kolya and, though part of the conspiracy, clearly he had known the true plan. He had ensured that his security staff were safe from the blast, but he had failed to tell Ladon or others in the circle.

Ladon dropped his eyes to his sensor pad. There was still nothing showing up.

If Pendrick had helped Kolya slip the device in here, maybe disguised it in some piece of tech or even in kitchen supplies wheeled in, security may not have blinked at its arrival.

Ladon ran on, his attention switching hurriedly from each open security door to his pad and back.

There were no readings other than the standard power readings of the light fittings and power lines hung along the concrete lined walls.

Where would Kolya hide the device? As long as it was in the Palace it would be enough to take out all the building, but surely Kolya would put it in these lower levels to ensure that Cowen wouldn't survive it.

Which meant it could be anywhere in any of the basement rooms!

The first intersection was ahead, again devoid of security sentries, and Ladon ran up into the open space. He turned on the spot, looking down each of the four corridors that led off it.

All of them appeared empty.

And they were all lined with closed doors, behind which any room could hold the concealed device!

00000

The red dot flashed, then again.

Without moving.

The red pulsed again.

A small series of Ancestral numbers ran next to the red dot.

Inifee had translated them as the frequency for Oneakka's personal beacon.

The other red dot was moving - Elite Halling's beacon - and was facing off against a line of pulsing blue dots – Wraith.

Oneakka's dot was alone.

And hadn't moved.

"Shouldn't we try to contact them again?" Seeal asked Inifee from just behind his shoulder.

She was stood, ready to head down the ship to open up the back hatch of the Ancestral ship for the returning Elite, but clearly that duty wasn't going to be needed anytime soon. Halling was moving through a small sea of Wraith, and Oneakka was still.

A single, unmoving dot.

"They already double-clicked back," Inifee repeated his explanation from their first attempt to contact the Elite the second they'd gotten back into the Hive's fighter bay and back up to the empty platform in the high corner of the bay.

It had taken longer than planned to get back in here, thanks to most of the Wraith heading out in the opposite direction. The numbers of Wraith life-signs in the Hive was shockingly less than when they'd dropped off Oneakka and Halling. Most of those life-signs were probably on the fighters that had already left to stupidly engage the Fleet ships, but she suspected some of the reduced numbers would be due to Oneakka and Halling's work.

Which Halling's signal was continuing to do. Seeal watched several more blue dots disappear and Halling's red dot move into their previously occupied space.

"We can't contact them again without risking them," Inifee continued his repeated explanation as to why they couldn't talk to the Elite. They'd tried, Inifee using the ship's advanced communications to boost the links signal to the Elite, but there had only been a double click of a response, telling them to keep silent as the Elite were engaging in live fire and dangerous circumstances.

It made sense.

It was logical.

But why was Oneakka's dot all alone and still in the same damn place it had been when they'd arrived?

"It's only been a few minutes," Inifee added, turning his head slightly so she could see more of his dark cheek. His grin had gone and, though he gave the appearance of experience and calm, she could tell he was worried. He had to keep to Elite protocol though and calling out over links again could give away the Elite's position in a vital and dangerous moment.

It made perfect sense.

But...

She fixed her eyes back on the lone red dot.

"Move," she quietly ordered it.

There were no blue dots close to him, so why was Oneakka holding position like that?

"Can't you detect more detailed life-signs readings through the beacons?" Seeal asked, annoyed that they couldn't.

"They're just locator beacons and identity readers," Inifee replied as he reached to the piloting controls again and the section of the Hive with Oneakka's lone red dot expanded. "He's definitely showing up as a life-sign on sensors as well as the beacon's signal."

So he was definitely alive.

"Is it a healthy life-sign?" Seeal checked.

"The ship's sensors can't show that level of detail at this distance," Inifee replied as the display of the Hive pulled back again to show the wider view including Halling's beacon. More blue dots had disappeared ahead of it, but there were plenty more ahead of him.

Seeal focused back on Oneakka's signal.

"I think he might have moved, slightly," Inifee suggested, though he didn't sound very convinced. "He may be holding a defensive position while Honoured Elite Halling deals with the others, perhaps the Queen; he's currently only one floor up from the Queen's escape craft. Queens often try and escape a Hive that has been grounded."

That made sense. Halling was clearly cutting through a lot of Wraith, probably hunting the Queen. It seemed very 'Elite'.

Oneakka standing entirely alone floors up from Halling didn't seem very 'Elite' to her, and it wasn't like Oneakka to stay out of a fight.

Unless he was injured.

"Can't we contact just Oneakka but not Halling?" She asked.

"I've heard double-clicks, and neither of them have contacted me since, so I'm not supposed to make any further contact now until they contact me."

The red dot pulsed.

Some Ancestral lettering passed over another area of the Hive's outline.

"Vibrations indicative of structural collapse within the Hive," Inifee interpreted it for her.

"If the ship is collapsing from the inside, the Elite should just get out of the Hive _now_ ," Seeal stated the seemingly obvious. "They've sabotaged the ship's power, so why stay in there?" Even if Halling was dealing with the Queen situation by himself, then Oneakka should be heading back here.

"We can't know the details of the situation in there. Once they are free to do so, the Elite will retreat back here," Inifee replied calmly.

He hadn't said 'Honoured Elite' though; he was definitely worried.

Seeal paced across the tiny width of the aisle between the front seats, her eyes fixed on Oneakka's lone red dot.

"There's no Wraith anywhere near Oneakka," Seeal pointed out again.

"These sensors can't tell us the exact detail of the Hive's layout inside. The outer hull is so misshapen it may be indicative of an altered layout inside too. Those dots are somewhat close to him, but they could be on different floors or in different rooms on the same level as him."

She didn't know Elite protocol. Maybe they did hold strategically important positions while the other went after the Queen.

It could make sense.

She chewed on the inside of her lip.

The red dot flashed as she watched it.

Had it moved a little?

He could be stationed at an important Wraith console or stood somewhere important for his and Halling's retreat.

It seemed logical...maybe.

The red dot pulsed.

She rubbed her noticeably cold fingers against her forehead.

The Elite knew what they were doing.

But loads of them died in battle.

Oneakka had told her that a third of the new Recruits wouldn't live five yearly cycles after they graduated.

All those crazy stories and myths she'd heard about the Elite over the years had turned out to be far closer to reality than she'd given them credit. The Elite didn't eat Wraith flesh, but they had lived up to the crazy heroes that so many of those stories had painted. The problem was that there was always one constant in all those stories: that Elite died in battle all the time.

Because they were just people too.

Brave and crazy heroes who died just as easily as everyone else.

The red dot pulsed again.

Same place as last time.

She let out a stressed, anxious breath.

She couldn't stop thinking about that slug robot that had tried to kill her on the Sythus, how it had been dragging her down from her weakening grip. She'd let go, planning to take the robot with her, but Oneakka had materialised out of nowhere and had caught her.

If he'd not gone down through the Sythus to find her...

She owed him so much.

What if he was injured...or trapped? He could be trapped in somewhere by some structural collapse.

What if he was waiting for rescue? He could be running out of oxygen even.

What if his links weren't working and that was the real reason why he hadn't replied?

Or he could be simply waiting by a console for Halling to get back.

There were no damn answers.

She looked away from the Ancestral display, looking over her shoulder into the back compartment of the ship. There were boxes up in the nets that she'd seen the Elite pull weapons out of earlier.

She looked back towards the display.

She couldn't actually be thinking about doing this, could she?

She wouldn't be that stupid.

The red dot flashed in the exact same place.

"Damn it," she cursed as she spun away and strode into the back compartment of the tube-like ship. "Are there any of the Elite sensor pads up here?" She called to Inifee as she reached up to the netting hanging along the right side of the ship.

She hauled a large grey box out of the netting and dumped it down on the bench. She pulled open the lid only to find small bladed weapons inside. She pulled out one and pushed the short knife into a slot at the back of her borrowed holster.

"In the blue box on the left side of those nets," Inifee replied from the front section.

She looked back up at the netting. There was a blue box tucked into the back left. She set one boot up on the bench and stretched up and into the netting. "Aren't you going to talk me out of this?" She asked Inifee as she tugged the blue box out and down to the bench next to the grey box.

"You're forgetting who I work for," Inifee called back. "Who we _both_ work for."

The blue box held a collection of pads inside, all sat vertically within foam lined slots. She pulled out one and tapped it with her thumb. It came instantly awake and the main screen looked like the ones she'd seen Oneakka using plenty of times before.

"You need to call up the standard Hive schematic," Inifee instructed from the front. "Press the central button and select plans."

She did as he instructed and a list appeared in the Alliance technical language.

"Got it," she called back to him as she pressed what she remembered might be the term for a Hive ship. The outline of a Hive appeared across the screen. She touched the vague area of the Hive she estimated to be this fighter bay and the image slid into the Hive outline. A flashing line of Alliance text told her to align the outline to the architecture around her. She'd have to do that once she was in the Hive.

Was she actually going to do something this crazy?

"There are links with earpieces in the small red boxes set above the benches," Inifee continued his instructions.

She had spotted the small boxes before and reached for one now, only to find it was fixed to the wall, so she freed the side clasp and the door opened to reveal a line of small links boxes. She pulled one out and found another smaller clear case clipped to it that held an earpiece. She pulled the case open and pushed the earpiece into her right ear as she turned back towards the front of the ship.

The display in front of Inifee was exactly the same – Oneakka still hadn't moved.

"You need to start up the links box and attach it to you," Inifee explained as he looked back at her, taking his eyes off the display for the first time since they'd arrived back in the bay.

"I know," she replied. "We used similar ones on Dreamstation," she shared.

"Elite tech?" Inifee asked, his eyebrows rising.

"Alliance military tech," she corrected as she heard the receiving signal of the earpiece confirming it was working with the links box. She clipped the tiny box to her holster as she didn't have a coat collar that would support its weight; the earpiece held a supplementary audio pickup, so Inifee would hear her.

"I'm receiving your links signal here," Inifee called as she turned and headed towards the back hatch.

She couldn't believe she was about to do this.

It was a _Hive_ _ship_! With Wraith in it.

It was like the stuff of nightmares and she was willingly going into one?!

"I've got you on a separate frequency so I can help guide you without disturbing the Elite. The Elite beacons should show up automatically on the sensor pad."

"Understood," she called back, aware that her breathing was feeling loud and fast as she activated the hatch control and the back of the ship started to open.

The same view as before appeared outside and the weird smell wafted in with it.

"I can do this," she whispered.

Sure, because heading into a Wraith Hive ship completely by herself was something she did all the time!

The hatch lowered as an extension of the ship's floor and then lowered a little further to create a slight slope down into the Hive. She edged out onto the hatch with faint trepidation, not quite believing that the unsupported hatch would hold her weight. It had held two big Elite earlier, so it easily held hers.

As she moved further out of the ship, the air shifted and her ears threatened to pop. The back wall of the bay was a few metres ahead and the platform was only a few feet below the hatch's lowest point. She moved towards the end of the hatch, crouching down and easing to the edge.

In position to jump down, she paused, checking around her once again. No Wraith in the immediate area.

She could do this.

Clearly she was completely mad.

She jumped off the hatch.

000

His wounds were deep.

The bleeding had stopped, but the internal damage was too extensive.

They had gotten so close to escape. Sat on the floor across from the small glass-filled portals at the top of the opposite wall, he was afforded the sight of sunlight, but he could not see the sky.

He wished that it were dark outside, then perhaps he might be able to see some hints of the stars one last time.

A clunk reverberating up from the floor below. The prey Humans were dragging something along the floor; most likely their means to cut through the mesh metal doorway to storm in here.

"You hear something?" Sheppard asked from the far end of the small room. He too had decided to sit on the floor, his long legs extended along the cold floor.

Mind Song looked round at the Human. He was not as injured as Mind Song was, but the exhaustion and reduced life-force was obvious. Sheppard was attempting to hide his weakness, but Mind Song could see it in the slumping of his shoulders and the way his breathing was still a little too fast despite some time resting.

"They are bringing up something heavy," Mind Song reported.

"Probably a cutting torch," Sheppard concluded the same as he had.

"Mmm," Mind Song nodded his agreement, but even that movement pulled at his sides and he couldn't stop himself from groaning faintly and clutching at his right side.

"Stay with me," Sheppard ordered. "I'm not going to be able to take them all down alone."

Mind Song chuckled at the strange comment, which had been somehow both sarcastic and hopeful at the same time.

"I will not survive another fight," Mind Song concluded the obvious. "If I do not feed soon..." He left the end of the sentence to hang, wincing at his side again.

"Don't go looking at me," Sheppard warned, but again it was with a touch of sarcasm.

Mind Song looked at Sheppard and chuckled again. How strange it was to have formed this connection with a Human.

Mind Song had interacted with many Human worshippers over the centuries, and though some had been almost friendly, none of them had held the strength and determination that he saw in Sheppard. Perhaps it was borne of Sheppard's Lantean blood, or, perhaps more likely, because he had lived most of his life in another galaxy where Mind Song's kin had not threatened him. The stories he had heard about the newly occupied Atlantis among the prey here were not understated it seemed.

"Hopefully Pranos will be part of the group that storm in here," Sheppard considered, his eyes on the sealed metal door to Mind Song's left. "If he is, try and feed on him first."

Mind Song nodded, agreeing with that sentiment, but the reality was not hopeful for him. Even if he could fight against them and escape this place somehow, there were far too many Humans on the surface. They would easily track him down and kill him.

"Even if we were to escape from here," Mind Song voiced the truth, "we would not get far on the surface."

"That's defeatist talk," Sheppard scorned. "There's still time for my people to find me." His blind faith still remained in his unseen rescuers.

"It will be no rescue for me," Mind Song stated, looking back up at the glass. The sunlight held a brightness that in no way hinted at the coming, helpful concealment of night.

"Hey," Sheppard called to him and Mind Song looked back down at the Human, "we had a deal remember? We _both_ get out of here."

Mind Song frowned at Sheppard's unexpected insistence in keeping to their agreement. Did it truly mean that Sheppard would defend him against the other Humans? Mind Song had to doubt that, considering who they both were, but Sheppard held his gaze with determination.

"And if we were to escape and then run into each other again in the future?" Mind Song asked out of interest.

Sheppard's expression shifted, betraying warring internal thoughts; considering how drained of life-force Sheppard currently was, perhaps he was doubting his own future survival.

Still, there could be enough life in Sheppard to help them win the fast approaching fight.

After it was over, then Mind Song would see if he too would keep to the deal between them.

Letting Sheppard live after this was perhaps as much a potential threat to him as his own survival was to Sheppard and his prey kind.

Could a Wraith and a Human truly keep to a promise to each other considering the natural battle between them? Mind Song saw that reality play in Sheppard's aged face.

Sheppard took a breath. "Then all bets are off," he concluded.

Mind Song chuckled at the honest response, but, again, the movement pulled at his torn insides. He felt a deep and drawing sensation that was his flesh dying, starved of blood, oxygen, and life. He was growing too close to the point of having to feed or die on this cold, alien floor.

"You got a name?" Sheppard asked.

Mind Song opened his eyes, which he had closed against the rush of pain and weakness. He took a breath and let it out heavily.

Wraith names were sacred and not to be shared, so he simply looked away from Sheppard to the mesh metal door again. The sounds on the floor below were growing far closer, and there were more voices now. Had he more life in him, Mind Song was almost certain he would be able to hear the details exchanged.

"How about 'Todd'?" Sheppard continued in the conversation with himself.

Mind Song glanced round at him.

"I've gotta call you something," Sheppard insisted. "I knew a guy called Todd in college; you kind of remind me of him." Mind Song could not imagine that any Human would look like a Wraith and so returned his attention to listening to the noises below.

"Very pale," Sheppard uttered quietly to himself.

The heavy scrapes were growing closer.

"They are almost at the base of the stairs," Mind Song reported to Sheppard.

"With their cutting torch?" Sheppard asked as he worked to get up off the floor, groaning with the effort.

Mind Song nodded as he set his own hands on the floor and worked to push himself up onto his feet. It took too much work and his body almost collapsed back down from the pain, but he managed to get up onto his feet. One hand against the cold stone-worked wall, he shuffled towards the metal door, his ears focused.

" _...take only seconds to cut through the seal_ ," one voice discussed.

" _Go in fast, weapons first_ ," the female prey animal from before ordered. " _Torch up first, the rest behind it_."

"They are about to breach the door," Mind Song turned to look towards Sheppard.

Sheppard was stood in the middle of the room, an energy weapon out and ready at his side. "Okay. What about the other door?" He asked of the locked mesh door that had prevented their complete escape.

"I do not hear them that way yet," Mind Song reported, but it was perhaps because of his reduced acuity rather than there being no threat in that direction.

" _...you three stay down here as a second wave, and the others behind the turn in case they fire down the stairs,"_ the discussions continued below.

That meant that at least six or more prey were preparing to attack.

Mind Song moved back from the metal door, moving towards Sheppard, but keeping his attention focused on the voices.

"They are about to start up the stairs," Mind Song informed Sheppard.

"How many?" Sheppard asked, his attention forward, the air smelling faintly of his nervousness.

"Too many," Mind Song concluded as he reached level with Sheppard.

"Great," Sheppard muttered as he glanced down at his weapon, shifting his grip and checking the power reading on its side.

Another noise registered on the edge of Mind Song's hearing - movement above and beyond the second locked door.

"They are moving on the surface down towards the exit door," Mind Song reported to Sheppard.

"So they're gonna come in from both directions. We're gonna have to just keep firing, take out as many as possible. Not let them get the chance to fire back."

"That could work," Mind Song lied. "But there is another way."

Sheppard looked round as the clang of something heavy and metal reverberated up the stairs. The cutting torch almost up to where it would be used against them.

Mind Song almost felt the urge to apologise before he struck.

Sheppard wasn't prepared for the attack, and with his prey reflexes weakened from the previous feedings, he could do nothing to stop Mind Song latching onto the previous feeding mark.

The burst of life-force flowed into Mind Song as he followed Sheppard down to the floor, the rush of Lantean blood powering up into his middle and instantly repairing his wounds.

Sheppard tried to struggle as his life flowed out of him, but his body could no longer defend him. But Mind Song would use it well.

As he watched Sheppard's face shrink into his skull, the last dregs of his life-force almost running out, Mind Song pulled his feeding teeth free and pulled back.

Life flowed through him, powering up his heart, his blood, his hearing, and he heard the searing heat of the cutting torch behind him.

He swung round to see the prey hand and protected weakened eyes behind the torch, the bright sparks flying as the metal was cut.

Mind Song ran at the door, his newly healing body flooding with power and he slammed both his hands into the mesh. With its seal almost cut, his push broke it free and the door swung out hard on its hinges and slammed into the Human with the torch. The prey cried out as he started falling away, but Mind Song snatched out of him from his fall and pulled him through the doorway.

The prey screamed in panic and weapons fire blasted from behind him.

Mind Song felt a bullet slice through the edge of his right arm, but the Human in his hands took most of the brunt of the fire. Mind Song latched his feeding hand onto the prey's shoulder, quickly draining the last of the dying Human's life as another prey appeared at the edge of his vision.

Mind Song threw the partially fed-upon and near dead Human at the rest. They tried to move out the way, but the stairwell was too confined. Mind Song stepped out of the doorway and onto the top of the steps and reached down for two of the falling Humans.

Their weapons blasted off the stone walls, the metal door still banging loudly against the wall behind him in its open position and he was aware that a small fire had started at the bottom of the stairs – probably from the fallen torch. Mind Song threw one of his captured Humans down at the others, knocking them further down the stairs again, and threw the other Human into the stone room towards where Sheppard lay flat on his back.

A blast of flaring light hit the wall just past Mind Song's left shoulder, energy weapons fire that could have killed him, so he climbed back up into the room, reached for the mesh door and pulled it back shut, but this time he started twisting it. Though these mesh metal doors were designed to stand strong in their frame, now this door was open, he could get his hands around the edges of the door and force it out of shape. A bullet smashed into his back, the Human he had thrown into the room with him, fighting back.

Mind Song stepped back and lashed out, smashing the Human away and against the side wall, and then returned his attention to bending the mesh door to his will. He bent the top corner so that it pointed into the room as he shut the door and then he forced the top corner against the frame and twisted the bottom corner outwards around the frame, blocking the doorway and preventing more prey from entering. There were gaps around the twisted edges though, through which weapons fire could get through, but he could hear screaming below the stairs and the smell of burning Human flesh.

It would not take them long to get back up here though, so he did not have much time.

He spun round to see that the other locked door remained un-breached by the prey, but he was aware that he could hear shouting and commotion up on the surface. They would be down here in no time; his time was too short, so he stalked quickly over to the prey he had thrown against the wall. The Human was slumped against the floor, unconscious.

He crouched quickly down by the prey and latched quickly onto it, life-force instantly flooding up into him. He growled in delight as it filled him, almost brimming with too much life, more than he had felt in a very long time. He could feel his body becoming even stronger, his thoughts clearing even further than before, and he felt his mind instantly touching against the network.

There were no hints of Wraith nearby though, so the sounds of weapons fire he now heard from the surface were not the Hive he had heard the prey whispering about. A shame.

However, the shouting increased as he drew the last drops of life from the prey animal in his clasp, and he heard a door slam open at the surface.

"Surrender immediately!" A voice shouted from the surface exit. "This is the Athosian Honour Guard; in the name of the Honoured Elite and the Alliance you will not be harmed if you surrender now!"

Sheppard's Queen had sent her forces; his faith was not so blind after all it seemed.

Mind Song detached himself from the dead prey and stood up, his body feeling larger and more powerful than he had even with Sheppard's previous contributions.

He moved to the left, looking through the locked mesh door to see sunlight was indeed now filling the narrow space beyond it and he watched as two armed male Humans appeared around a corner, their weapons high.

The instant they saw him the front one fired, but the mesh door dissipated the blast. Mind Song still backed away from the door. Only, the other prey had once again climbed back up the first stairwell and bullets fired across the room at him. The aim was way off though, since the prey was firing through a tiny space around the twisted mesh door.

"Genii!" Sheppard's people shouted in response beyond the locked mesh door, having wisely realised he was not the current threat. "This is the Athosian Honour Guard of Major Sheppard," the front Human shouted angrily. "You will cease all violence now! The Elite and Atlantis forces are here. Surrender yourselves and mercy will be shown!"

The threat worked well, for Mind Song heard the prey whispering fearfully as they immediately pounded back down the stairs.

Mind Song chuckled in pleased victory. The enemy was running away, clearly preferring to attempt escape from the Elite and Atlantis than fight him again.

Mind Song turned back to the mesh door.

Sheppard's 'Honour Guard' were fast approaching down the narrow space outside the last mesh door. Once they reached it, they simply had to pull aside the bolt that locked it and they would be upon him.

"Stay back, Wraith," the lead male ordered, but his threats were empty to Mind Song while the mesh door stood between them.

"I am not your current enemy," Mind Song informed them as he turned away. His initial plan to hold to his deal with Sheppard appeared to be certain now.

He moved quickly across the small room and crouched down by Sheppard's side.

"Stand back from the Major!" The lead Human commanded.

Mind Song ignored him as he looked down at Sheppard's bleary eyes. Though he was on the edge of fading away, Sheppard's eyes focused faintly on him.

Mind Song smiled in bemusement at his own choices as he reached down and set his feeding teeth around the clotted former feeding mark. He latched onto Sheppard once again and felt the barely present life-force remaining.

Drawing up from inside of himself, Mind Song pulled on the empowered force he had taken from Sheppard, combined with some that he had taken from the other prey, and pushed life back into his most unlikely of colleagues.

00000

Ladon had given up looking in any of the bunker's rooms; there were far too many and there was not enough time, so he'd focused on getting up two floors to Cowen's main residence level and seeking assistance from his security, the Generals, and the battalion.

As he climbed up the ladder to the residence level, he was desperately grateful to finally hear voices. He stepped off the emergency ladder and stepped out onto the far more maintained and decorated level of the Palace's underground bunker.

Two security sentries turned instantly as he appeared, both of them lifting their weapons towards him.

"Where is Cowen?" Ladon demanded as he walked towards them, ignoring their weapons. They all knew him, and he was betting on his tone of authority and casual determination to override their caution.

"What are you going here?" One guard demanded, very wary.

Ladon just kept walking towards them. "We've had intelligence that someone's planted an explosive device in the Palace," he told them. "The Parliamentary buildings are being evacuated too, but we didn't want to announce the warning over links and spook the enemy."

The two guards exchanged worried looks, their weapons lowering.

"I'm running a scan of the basement levels, but I need as many as possible to help me run a room-by-room sweep," Ladon instructed as he reached them. "How many of the battalion and personal guard can be spared?"

"You'll have to ask Commander General Reed," one guard answered.

"Where is he?" Ladon asked, lowering his eyes to his pad. There were no signs of the device here.

"He's outside the Supreme Leader's office," the guard reported.

"Good," Ladon pushed past the guards. "Tell Reed I'm on my way and tell all the other guards to check all the rooms around their stations and report anything suspicious immediately."

He jogged onwards, not waiting for their assurance that they were do as he had ordered. In truth he had no authority over them, but he had worked with most of the security members over the years. As a science focused lead, he'd not really drawn much suspicion or competition from any in the halls of power or among the security forces that protected them. Hopefully that would pay off for him here.

He jogged around a corner, a thin fur-like carpet now lining the floor and cushioning the sounds of his footsteps.

The two guards ahead had clearly been warned his was coming and they immediately stepped back out of his way.

Another corner brought him to a large collection of Cowen's battalion and two Generals that he recognised; though neither Reed nor Maloo were among them.

"Where's Commander General Reed?" Ladon called as he hurried towards them.

"Is that Ladon?" Another voice called out though, cutting off any response regarding Reed.

"Yes, Cowen," one General replied through an open doorway in the left wall – Cowen's office. "He has some concerns about Palace security."

Clearly his warning wasn't believed yet, but he didn't need to persuade the Generals, just Cowen. And Cowen could easily be persuaded that he was in danger.

"Get in here, Ladon!" Cowen shouted and Ladon turned into the doorway, somewhat out of breath as he entered the large office.

"We need to evacuate," Ladon told Cowen as he walked into the overtly decorated office. The office, and this part of the Palace in general, were very different to what was usually seen on the homeworld. Where there was usually dark tones and austere decor, Cowen's office held golden door handles, a large oval ornate mirror across the room, excessively decorated designs across the walls, and a large heavy-looking gold-leaf lined desk to one side.

"What?" Cowen demanded from where he stood behind his desk, his big fists set wide apart on the tabletop. There was several large paper maps spread over the surface of the desk, with various coloured glass paperweights holding them down.

"We've had intelligence that an explosive device has been planted in the Palace," Ladon told him frankly. "We need to evacuate everyone now."

"No one's brought anything in here," Cowen disagreed instantly. "I've kept this place locked up tighter than anything."

"I just walked in through the entrance from the tunnels below without being stopped once. There are no guards down there."

"They've run?" Cowen straightened up from his desk. "Our people used to face war with strength."

Ladon blinked. "What war?"

"This one, against Atlantis and the Elite helping them," Cowen answered. "This is all because of Kolya's failed assault on Atlantis and they've harboured a grudge against us ever since."

Ladon decided not to remind Cowen that it had actually been his order that had sent Kolya on that failed attack on the Ancestral City.

"Atlantis has just sent a party through the Portal to 'talk' with me," Cowen reported, "and the Elite won't be far behind. Kolya thinks he can turn the Elite on me, well, he's gravely mistaken," Cowen stated angrily, one finger jabbing down onto a map. "And if the Elite want to start a war over this, then we'll give them a war."

This was madness! Did he really think the Elite wanted a war with them, and, even if they did, that the Genii would have a chance against the might and experience of the Elite?

"They chose Atlantis over us for the Political Marriage and now they're siding with them again, spying on our links network," Cowen continued in his rant. "This could even be about those mining moons – the Elite have wanted all that ore for years, and this way they can finally take it."

"This isn't about mining moons, Cowen!" Ladon interrupted him loudly. "This is about saving First City! We need to evacuate everyone and search _every_ room in the Palace. If we can find the device, I'm certain I can deactivate it."

That seemed to finally get some of Cowen's attention. "No, we would have seen anything like that."

Ladon took a breath, trying to work out how to get through to Cowen. "What if Kolya has someone on the inside? We know he has old associations with fellow trainees, military Generals he has worked alongside for decades. What if one of them has betrayed you to Kolya and wants the Elite to overthrow you?"

Cowen's face darkened, the premise clearly hitting home. "Reed, get in here!" He bellowed towards the open office door. "What kind of device are we talking about, Ladon?"

Ladon lowered his eyes to his pad, but the pad had still not found the pattern he was seeking. "If it's radioactive in anyway, I can detect it with this." He turned on the spot, scanning Cowen's office. There weren't any cupboards or adjoining rooms that could hold anything as big as the device, but...

There was a secret emergency tunnel out of the office that Ladon recalled from the security tech instalment. It was a narrow tunnel that wasn't included on any schematic anywhere and allowed Cowen to escape out of his office and down to the lower tunnels. The entrance to it was hidden in the corner. It was a very narrow tunnel, but if Kolya's loyalists had smuggled the device down to the lower tunnels, they wouldn't have had to get past security. They could have carried the device into the narrow tunnel by hand. Perhaps even widened the tunnel in places? Kolya had been planning this for a long time, what if the device had already been here for months?

"Have you been through your escape tunnel recently?" Ladon asked Cowen as he headed towards the corner where the line of the tunnel's doorway was cleverly concealed within the decorative lines on the wall. A low table blocking the entrance also helped to fool the eye.

Ladon couldn't detect anything here, but the doorway to the tunnel was purposefully thick. He moved aside the table and scanned the edges of the tunnel's door, but there was nothing indicating any kind of trip wire or explosive on the other side.

"No, I haven't been down there in months," Cowen answered him. "Where's Reed?" Cowen shouted out to the guards outside. "Get him in here now!"

Ladon pulled open the escape tunnel's entrance. Like the one that he had used to get to Hulte's meetings, this tunnel was just as roughly cut. The edges were unfinished, the floor completely uneven and the air musty.

The light of Cowen's office glowed around Ladon as he looked into the tunnel's darkness and lifted his sensor pad.

There was no sign of the device's signature.

Nothing.

It was a long and deep tunnel though; the device could be right at the other end of it. But, surely he'd be reading something from it.

He turned back towards Cowen.

"Have you had anything newly delivered to the Palace recently?" Ladon checked next. "A new piece of furniture or large piece of tech?"

"I don't keep check of every little thing, Ladon," Cowen argued. "Don't you monitor all new tech?" The question was tinged with suspicion now.

"We need to get every guard and every pair of hands in the Palace checking every room, every cupboard," Ladon pushed. "We can't waste time."

"And that will leave me with a reduced security force won't it, Ladon," Cowen replied with a frown from behind his desk. He probably had at least one weapon concealed back there. "You were part of Kolya's strike force into Atlantis."

"Cowen, we don't have time for this," Ladon approached him, but not moving too fast. "I am trying to save lives, including yours."

The office doors abruptly slammed shut.

Ladon spun round towards them.

"Guards?" Cowen called out, clearly surprised himself. "What's going on?"

Ladon's heart dropped. Had someone out there heard his warning and was attempting to stop him from saving Cowen? From stopping the device?

Ladon hurried towards the doors, but Cowen got there first, swinging around his desk and to the golden handles in quick time.

"Guards!" Cowen shouted as he pulled hard on the doors, but they didn't budge. "Open these doors IMMEDIATELY!" Cowen shouted as he pounded a fist against the doors.

The air shifted faintly behind Ladon with a coolness that belatedly reminded him that he had left the escape tunnel's door open. Adrenaline surged into his veins as a primitive part of his brain registered someone else had entered the room and he started to turn back round towards the tunnel.

And as he did, he saw the last person he ever expected to see step out of the tunnel's entrance.

"Hello, Ladon," Kolya announced from behind two raised weapons.

00000  
TBC


	36. The Dying Wish

**Note:** This chapter is dedicated to Nath – whose birthday was Saturday. Nath, I tried to get this chapter finished on your day, but this will have to be close enough. As you are a guest reviewer on the site, I can't reply to your reviews personally, but thank you so much for your support. Happy Birthday.

00000

 **Chapter 36 – The Dying Wish**

The corridor ahead was a fuzzy outline, shifting in and out of focus as Oneakka looked down its length.

The glow of Hive's emergency lighting shone faintly from one wall, barely there, but it was enough for him to make out the lumps and bumps along the walls ahead.

Any one of them could be a console.

A potential piece of tech he could use.

Anything to help him find a way to warn Halling.

He focused back around him. A dead Wraith lay to one side – he'd found a few of them as he'd dragged his way down the corridor – but none of them had held any useful tech. Nothing he could manipulate to send a simple signal out beyond the hull.

If he could just send out a basic signal...

He lifted his left hand from the corridor floor, the emergency lighting glowing weakly over the bloodied handprint he left behind, and he set it down ahead of him. His knees had given out after the climb, but he had been able to drag himself forward on his hands and pushing with his toes.

His body felt on fire, but still somehow cold at the same time. He was aware that there were bits of him he couldn't feel, and parts of him that filled everything with pain.

He just had to find something to send a signal...

Then he could stop.

Then he could give into the threatening flames of memory...of the place he should have died long ago. The place always waiting for a chance to consume him.

Perhaps the Queen's last breaths had cursed him, and her ghost had been waiting all these years to claim him.

He shook away the stupid distracting thoughts.

He needed to save Halling.

He lifted his right hand to follow his left, but his left arm shook with the pressure of holding him up. Grunting with the effort, he slapped his right wet hand to the floor, but his weakening wrist gave out and he fell forward onto his elbows. His chin clipped against his own forearm and sent his already swimming head spinning.

He panted as he waited for the nausea to pass, waited for the shaking, fuzzy corridor to still again.

He couldn't give up yet.

He couldn't stop yet.

He worked to lift his shoulders up, looking ahead again.

Just one piece of powered tech.

Just one.

Breathing hard, he gritted his teeth and slid his left forearm forward.

The blood pooling under him helped him move his arm along the floor at least, but he couldn't seem to find the power to move the right elbow.

The shakes in his shoulders were getting too much.

He was going to fail Halling!

Halling could already be dead!

Tears filled Oneakka's eyes, blurring the corridor even more than before.

He dropped his head and blinked down at the dark Wraith floor under his chest.

All his people.

He'd failed to save any of them, despite their faith in him.

He'd promised Halling he would save him. That he'd do anything to save him.

But he didn't have it in him anymore.

He couldn't even more his arms!

The flames danced around the edges of his tears, the escaped base moving in around him.

A fevered, dying hallucination, that was all it was.

A scream sounded somewhere, his own voice bouncing off the melting base walls around him. His flesh burning away.

He'd actually welcomed it.

He remembered wanting to add his bones to the those of his world, though he'd never told anyone that. Maybe he'd even forgotten that.

It would be so easy...

Just lie still...

Let the flames take him...

It was where he was meant to die anyway...in a corridor on that base.

They'd bury him on Ugun...the others had promised they would in place of the usual Elite cremation. His bones would finally join his people.

They'd burn Halling though...

Like the flames that licked around him now, the melting walls; the remembered screams of dying Wraith and his own imagined horrors of his people's last moments. His own family... His mother and his father. Had they died in pain? Had they suffered?

His sisters...

His brothers...

Halling.

"No!" He shouted through the misting thoughts and flames. "NO!"

His voice loud in his ears, he snapped his eyes open to the tear-filled view again.

He had lost too much blood; that was why his mind was failing him. He wasn't in that base.

He couldn't hear their screams.

He still had time to save Halling.

His shoulders down on his hands, his arms pinned under his chest, Oneakka panted, building the will he needed, and pushed his right forearm along the floor.

It was only a few inches, but it was forward.

He wedged the toes of his boots against the floor and pushed forward with them both at once, his left elbow sliding with him.

He could do this.

The pain didn't matter.

He just needed one console.

One piece of tech...

Just one before the flames finally took him.

00000

Ladon felt his mouth hanging open as he watched Kolya walking into the office, a gun in each hand.

Kolya was _here_...on the homeworld?!

How could he be here?

 _When_ had he gotten here?

"Kolya?!" Cowen exclaimed, clearly just as shocked as Ladon.

Kolya's sharp predatory smile focused on Cowen as he stopped in the middle of the office. "I would say it is good to see you, Cowen, but we both know that isn't true."

"What the hell are you doing here?" Cowen demanded loudly.

It was a good question, and one that sent Ladon's mind turning, sending everything he'd thought he'd known into instant uncertainty.

His eyes strayed to the closed office doors, obviously shut and barred by those outside who had known Kolya was here and about to face Cowen. Ladon couldn't hear any commotion, no shouting or fighting out there, which meant that perhaps they were all part of Kolya's plan.

A plan that Ladon, and the rest of the conspiracy, hadn't known about.

"I'm here to take my rightful place as leader of our people," Kolya replied to Cowen's question with that sharp and intelligent calm that Ladon remembered all too well.

It had been years since he'd last seen Kolya in person, not since the night Kolya had been forced to escape the homeworld to save himself from Cowen's spiteful vengeance. Ladon had helped that night, had altered camera feeds and turned off the facial recognition systems by the Portal.

Had Kolya come through the Portal today? How had he gotten past those checks? There were Enforcement staff at the Portal, especially now with the Alliance-wide high alert.

Surely Kolya's reach couldn't be that far?

Or had he snuck back into Alliance territory on a ship? And if so, that meant that he had to have been on his way here for at least a day, if not more.

There had been no part of the plan that involved Kolya coming back here and risking himself being spotted by Cowen's loyalists. It was a ridiculous risk that Ladon hadn't even considered.

"Guards!" Cowen bellowed.

"They're not coming, Cowen," Kolya informed him. "They work for me now."

That threw Cowen for a second, his mind perhaps finally registering the danger he was in.

Ladon shifted backwards a fraction, moving well away from the space between the two men, the tension of potential violence escalating.

"This is treason!" Cowen threatened as he pointed his left index finger at Kolya.

Kolya actually chuckled at that. "So it is," he smiled.

Ladon saw Cowen's right hand lowering, his left still pointed at Kolya threateningly, his face red and furious. But the right hand was lowering to his hip, towards his sidearm.

Ladon shifted back again, feeling the adrenaline hitting his bloodstream.

Cowen had to know he couldn't draw his weapon fast enough. Kolya held the complete advantage.

"You damn bastard!" Cowen shouted and then abruptly moved to his right, towards the prospective cover of his large desk, while his right hand closed around the handle of his sidearm.

He didn't even make a single step.

Kolya fire twice, the explosive sounds ear-shatteringly loud in the office, and Ladon saw the bullets hit Cowen in his middle.

Cowen fell forward with a loud cry, one knee hitting the plush carpet and then the other. From his knees, he looked up towards Kolya, the shock pale across his face as two large bloodstains started swelling across the front of his uniform.

"You won't get away with this," Cowen gasped, his voice already sounding raspy with death, as he stared up at Kolya.

"I already have," Kolya stated. "You have failed our people, Cowen, and this is their message."

Kolya fired another round, the bullet piercing right through the centre of Cowen's forehead, killing him instantly.

Ladon gasped at the abrupt execution and the spray of blood and brain-matter that burst out from the back of Cowen's head.

He watched as Cowen fell backwards in almost slow-motion, his body landing on the soft carpet to bounce up slightly and then settle heavily.

And, just like that, Cowen's rule was over.

After all the long years of careful planning, of caution and manipulation to work towards this day, not to mention making the explosive device and smuggling it off-world, and Kolya had simply fired three bullets in Cowen's office to end it all?

Ladon pulled his stare from Cowen's dead open eyes and watched as Kolya dropped the weapon of execution to the carpet beside the body.

Ladon hadn't expected to see Cowen's death firsthand, and had never intended to be present when it had happened. It was supposed to have been off-world...

The device.

"The device isn't here," Ladon realised the obvious now.

"Of course not," Kolya replied as he crouched down and pulled Cowen's unused sidearm out of its holster. "Did you really believe I would use such a destructive weapon on our own people, Ladon?"

Ladon frowned. "Then why have me make it for you?" He didn't understand. Had this been a very recent change of plans? Had something new happened outside the border? Had Atlantis almost found Kolya?

"The original plan might have worked, but the situation in the Alliance and with Atlantis changed things," Kolya explained as he stood up. "It was necessary to adapt the plan."

So something had changed, but to take such as risk as to come onto the homeworld and to end it this way?

Ladon frowned at him. "So you just snuck in and shot him in the head?" If Kolya had people in Cowen's personal security working for him, why not have one of them kill Cowen in his sleep? Why all this?

"No," Kolya replied, looking up from Cowen's sidearm in his hand. " _You_ did."

Ladon blinked.

A cold fearful chill passed over him.

"I was planning for it to look like a suicide in your lab, where you would run to after you assassinated Cowen," Kolya explained with horrendous calm.

Ladon's heart was pounding so hard he could hear it in his ears.

"There's already a full confession sitting on your personal computer, put there by the members of your technical team who failed to return after their rest break today," Kolya added.

"But I've been _helping_ you," Ladon argued in disbelief. "I've been a part of this from day _one_."

Kolya let out a breath, like a disappointed sigh. "No, Ladon," he said, almost softly. "I am afraid I know everything about your plans. General Maloo has kept me very well informed on your and Hulte's intentions to remove me once I dealt with Cowen."

Ladon froze, his vision tunnelling down so that all he could see was Kolya.

And Cowen's gun in his hand.

He was alone in here with Kolya.

The office's doors were locked.

The door into the escape tunnel was still open though, but it was in the far corner of the office.

Ladon's own sidearm was in its holster at his hip, the clasp closed over the handle.

All he had in his hand was the sensor pad, which was far too light to be useful. Besides, Kolya was too highly trained to be distracted by something like that being thrown at him. There was too much distance between them anyway.

There were no options.

He had been betrayed...

"Maloo?" Ladon found himself asking, registering the fact.

"Yes," Kolya nodded. "Along with most of the other Generals. While you have been conspiring behind my back, planning to put yourself into the role of Supreme Leader, I have been quietly growing my forces here on the homeworld."

If Kolya had the Generals on his side, then slipping through the Portal would have been easy for him. The missing guards at the basement entrance were probably all outside the office doors now, ready in case Cowen had been able to put up more of a fight.

He had been so stupid to have forgotten how manipulative and clever Kolya had always been.

Ladon's breaths trembled through his open mouth as the dark barrel of Cowen's gun lifted up towards him.

"I've known for a long time that you've been intending to stab me in the back," Kolya stated from behind the barrel.

"I only want what is best for our people," Ladon told him truthfully. "It's all I've ever wanted."

"And you believed yourself to be the 'best' option?" Kolya scoffed. "You do not have what it takes, Ladon. I'm sorry, but you should have stayed in your place, stayed focused on your science."

Ladon could see Kolya's gloved finger shift against the trigger.

Raging indignation burst through Ladon, and he snapped his eyes up from the trigger and glared into Kolya's cold gaze.

All his previous worriedly fears and visions of what the Genii people would become with Kolya as their leader all played vividly through his mind's eye now. Kolya didn't care about commerce, science, or the moral centre of their people. He just wanted to be in power himself. He only knew war.

"You're no better than Cowen," Ladon spat at him. "You promised to save our people from oppression, but all you've brought is violence, riots, and Quantum. How are you any better than him?"

He saw Kolya's expression darken. "You're never going to see what I can do for our people," Kolya stated and squeezed the trigger.

Ladon felt the first bullet hit him in the middle of his chest and then another hit higher, under his throat.

The office spun around him before the floor hit him hard in the back. He gasped up towards the ornately decorated ceiling, unable to breathe properly. He could feel warm liquid filling his throat.

His own blood.

Kolya stepped into view, his old, well-worn uniform a sharp dark contrast against the gold and white decoration above him. The barrel of the weapon appeared again.

"I am sorry, Ladon," Kolya's voice swam in his echoing, throbbing ears.

Ladon stared up the gun, and his murderer above it, but the thoughts that passed through his mind were of Dahlia.

Had Kolya gotten to her before Sora and Tyrus? Was she safe?

But he had no breath to ask, no way to find out, and all he heard was the sharp crack of the bullet that ended his life.

00000

How could he have been so stupid to trust a Wraith?

Todd's hand was a heavy sharp weight against John's chest as he landed on the hard cold floor and the pure agony of being fed upon became completely overwhelming once again.

He tried to fight back, but his arms and legs just wouldn't do what he told them.

He couldn't feel anything but the agony, and he couldn't do anything but scream.

He'd been SO stupid.

Dad had been right – he made impulsive decisions without thinking things through, and now he was finally going to die for it.

He was going to die screaming, lying on some alien floor in another galaxy and it was going to be his own damn fault!

Too many mistakes over too many years.

It really sucked that Dad was going to be proven right too.

But...

He kind of wished that he'd reached out to Dad again, and to Dave, despite all that had happened. He kind of always assumed he'd see them again one day, even after all these years.

And Teyla...

The image of this morning ran through his screaming brain, of her sat cross-legged in the line of early morning sunlight.

He should have kissed her.

Should have told her he loved her.

One damn time he should have been impulsive and he'd held back, and now he was going to die without that.

He'd made far too many mistakes like that, like this too. And now it had doomed him to going out in this stupid way.

Trusting a Wraith!

His view of the growling Todd over him started to fog around the edges. Everything was dimming somehow and yet the gouging horrific pain in his chest was getting worse.

He couldn't see much now, only a white fuzziness that was tunnelling inwards until all he could actually see was the sunlight around Todd's shockingly white hair.

Todd's growls started fading too, becoming a tinny distant sense of noise.

And then, the exhausting pain started to mist into something new. Like the gentle creeping shift of falling into a deep peaceful sleep, the edges of his awareness softened and soothed into a warm blissfulness.

The soft curve of her neck returned, the soft sunshine shining in across her bare shoulder and her hair lying against the Athosian pillowcase. He shifted forward and pressed his cheek in against her warm skin, drinking in the feel of her.

He was faintly aware of sounds somewhere in the distance from his and Teyla's bed, of growling, weapons fire, and shouting, but it didn't matter here.

He just let it all be unimportant and simply drifted, unconcerned, in this soft, beautiful place.

She felt like home.

This was the only place he felt truly happy.

"Teyla," he whispered to her, a promise, a calling...

Only, a shadow shifted over them, cutting off some of the sunlight coming in from her bedroom window.

John opened his eyes and looked up from her, up into the head-shaped shadow forming, growing closer.

Todd's slit alien eyes came into focus, staring down at him, and the beautiful dream of Teyla dissipated away like nothing.

John stared up as Todd's lips pulled back from his sharp teeth, hovering over him, growing closer...

This was the real end then.

He tried to lift his head, to form words to say something defiant in this last moment.

"Step away! Break the lock!" A voice cut through John's attempt to formulate some good final last words – someone else was shouting. Was it him?

There was no time to work it out though, because the sensation of Todd's feeding hand was back and John felt the sharp disgusting edges lock against his upper chest again.

The pain rushed back, full, shocking, and unforgettable.

This time he could recognise his own voice, and he screamed his last sounds, putting all the anger he could into it. If all he could do was die screaming into Todd's face, then he was going to put every last bit of him into it.

He'd done so many dumb things, acted when he should have been careful, held back when he should have thrown himself in.

He should have kissed her this morning.

Just one last time...

Except, he realised abruptly, the pain was different now. Instead of the deep sense of digging and draining, there was a pressure building, overwhelmingly intense now that his anger turned into gasps of panic and something else.

Something...good.

The pressure was spreading, filling him from the inside out, pouring what felt like hot pleasure through his veins, through his middle and down his arms and legs. He felt as if he was being electrocuted or something. It sparked and washed through him, pushing up through his throat and up to the very top of his skull.

And it felt...wonderful.

Todd's hand lifted away and the wash of pressure stopped, though the last tides of the sensation were still moving through him, reducing, drifting down to little ripples.

He pulled in a deep full breath, the first really good breath he'd taken since he'd gone through that first feeding, and he blinked up at Todd.

Todd's lips pulled back into a...smile? The Wraith let out a deep rumble that sounded like a chuckle or something.

The ripples were settling now and John's body finally started to respond to him again. He flattened his hands to the floor, acutely aware of the sensation of the cold stone against his fingertips and palms.

Everything seemed bright, loud, and shiny above him.

"Major Sheppard?" A voice registered and it kind of felt like John had been hearing it for awhile. He frowned with some recognition – he knew that voice. He realised he could also hear clanging, like someone was hitting something metal repeatedly.

Todd shifted back and away, standing up.

John lifted his arms, his hands coming into view and he turned them over in amazement. They were back to normal – no wrinkles of aged looking skin and his fingers were a warm flushed colour again. He reached up to his face and, fearing deep sunken cheeks of a corpse, he instead felt his normal warm cheeks.

He realised what had happened.

Todd had given it back.

He stared up at Todd in absolute amazement. He didn't even know Wraith could do that!

"Major Sheppard?" That voice repeated again and this time John was certain he knew who it was.

"Vaky?" John frowned at the voice. What was Vakalis doing here?

"Yes, Major Sheppard," Vaky replied, sounding like he was really relieved.

John levered himself up onto his backside and looked down the length of the room to see that first mesh door was in some sort of tangled mess and there was a fed upon dead Genii lying to one side.

Clearly he'd missed some stuff.

He looked off to the left where, through the second mesh door, he could now see Vakalis. And next to him was Shemu, also of his Honour Guard, who was currently smacking the butt of his gun against the outside bolt holding the mesh door shut.

"Your Honour Guard is here," Vakalis explained. "Atlantis has an Ancestral ship on its way now, and your wife is onboard."

Teyla was on her way here?

John pushed himself up off the floor, eyes back on the mangled other door. "The Genii?" He asked of Vakalis and Todd as he stood upright.

Wow, he felt good. His back felt supple and his knees hadn't complained at all on the way up.

"They have all run away," Todd supplied, sounding like he found that fact funny.

"Because of you or because my people turned up, like I said they would?"

"It was a joint effort," Todd replied with a faint shrug.

"Are you alright, Major Sheppard?" Vakalis asked from the other side of the mesh, his eyes clearly shifting to Todd worriedly as, beside him, Shemu again hit hard at what was presumably a lock holding the bolt in place.

"Yeah," John nodded as he looked back up at Todd. "He just undid it all."

Todd nodded faintly, his alien eyes holding John's. "The gift of life is reserved only for our most devout worshippers." John frowned at that description. "And our _brothers_ ," Todd finished, his tone softer.

The weirdest sense of respect and gratitude filled John's warm and now entirely healed chest. Todd was a Wraith but...

He nodded back, feeling weird about the respect thing.

Another clang from the door heralded a responding crack and John looked round to see Shemu was now pulling the bolt back from across the outside of the mesh door.

"I suggest that you step away from the Wraith, Major Sheppard," Vakalis said as he lifted his weapon a fraction and stood back as Shemu started to push the door open on creaky hinges.

John realised what was about to happen.

"It's okay," he told them quickly as he stepped forward, moving so he was in front of Todd. "He's with me," he explained quickly. "We escaped _together_."

The mesh door now open, Vakalis stepped into the room with them, weapon held up close and high.

"It's great to see you guys," he told them honestly as he moved to meet them in the middle of the room, still keeping in front of Todd though. The Honour Guard were supposed to obey his orders, but he couldn't fault them for wanting protect him from Todd.

Vakalis shifted his eyes from Todd as John reached him. "Are you sure you're alright, Major?" He checked again.

"I'm good, Vaky," John reassured him, though he could understand their shock. He was still shocked. If he didn't feel so amazing right now, he'd probably be freaking out at how close to death he'd been only to now have had his life given back to him by a living vampire.

"We have dealt with a small enemy group on the surface," Vaky explained. "But we should leave quickly. This is not a safe place."

John nodded. "Sure," he was more than willing to get out of this hellhole and turned to head through the mesh doorway.

"What about the Wraith?" Shemu asked though.

John turned back to see Todd stood alone in the small room. The Wraith's eyes were moving back and forth from Vakalis and Shemu, who were stood so that they had a good crossfire position on him.

John had made a deal that both he and Todd would get off this rock together, and clearly Todd had taken care of the goons while John had been out. Then he'd given it all back.

As bizarre as it was, John felt he owned the guy.

After all, Todd had been right before, they had _both_ been prisoners of Kolya, and he would never have gotten this far to the surface without him.

And if he left Todd here, Todd would only end up killing the local people as he worked to escape to the local Gate.

"He's coming with us," John ordered his Honour Guard. "We'll drop him off somewhere on the way back."

Vakalis glanced at him in clear disbelief, but neither of them were firing on Todd, so that was a win so far.

"But keep an eye on him," John added to Vaky before looking back at Todd.

Todd chuckled at the warning, and, holding his head high, he walked across the room, moving between the two raised guns of the Honour Guard, and followed John out through the open mesh doorway.

John turned away, not really liking turning his back on a Wraith, but he trusted Vakalis and Shemu would keep a close eye on Todd.

Outside the open mesh door, the narrow stone cut corridor, which had been an unreachable goal earlier, was now simply a short path that was filled with hazy sunlight at the far end. The corridor made a sharp left turn at that point to reveal a narrow steep staircase cut out of the bedrock.

Halfway up them, Neith, of his Honour Guard, smiled down at him.

"Good to see you, Major Sheppard," she nodded.

"Good to be seen," he grinned as he started up the stairs. In the right-hand wall at the top he could see the open door that was letting in the sunlight, and there was a wonderful breeze of fresh air ghosting down over his face.

As he reached the top stair, Neith pausing in the doorway out to check the way out was clear, John drew in a big lungful of freedom.

It smelt good.

And then the air stirred, whipping up in that way that could only mean that a Jumper, cloaked no doubt, was landing somewhere nearby.

They'd come to save him.

And Teyla was with them.

0000

It turned out that being inside a Wraith Hive was even creepier than she could possibly have imagined.

The place was weird. The air smell nasty, there was a humid dampness that hung around her like it was watching her, and the place made weird alien sounds.

Though, maybe that was the bits of Hive wall, ceiling, and floors collapsing throughout the ship.

The Hive was literally falling apart from inside, with holes opening up in the floors, sections of the walls slipping down into wet puddles, and, just to top it all off, the lights barely worked.

Some sections had low level lighting, which were presumably the Wraith equivalent of emergency lighting, not that it was all that helpful in navigating the alien world inside the Hive.

That said, she had started to get a bit used to it, her eyes constantly switching back and forth between the glowing sensor pad in her hand and the spooky melting corridors around her.

At first it had been easy to know where to go, as she'd just followed the carpet of dead Wraith that Oneakka and Halling had left in their wake, but then she'd started to need to make her way down some levels towards where Oneakka's beacon glowed on her screen.

The good news from Inifee was that Oneakka's beacon had started to move, albeit by very little, but he was moving. That meant either that he was fine and would no doubt have plenty of cross words for her at coming in here to track him down, or he was injured.

Or maybe he was still trapped somehow but had managed to get out a little?

Or maybe a Wraith was dragging his dead body down a corridor!

Okay, she wasn't helping herself here. She needed to focus on her mission.

Then get out of here as quickly as possible.

She'd managed to make her way down two levels easily enough thanks to parts of the floors having collapsed in places, providing slopes of broken Hive pieces down into the next level, which were easy enough for her to navigate, aside from almost slipping on the slimy goo coming off some of the walls. There had been more than a few dead Wraith lying under those collapsed sections, and she'd obsessively checked and re-checked the sensor pad to be certain there were no hints of life-readings from the bodies before she had hurried past them.

The lights were flickering weakly in this new section, making the place even more unnerving. She was almost certain she could hear Wraith moving around in the distance, but the pad assured her that there were no life-readings ahead of her. Inifee, a reassuring presence in her ear, had confirmed the same. Still, she edged forward carefully, keeping close to the uneven bumpy corridor walls. There were hollows every now and then, providing helpful hiding places if she needed them.

This really was crazy.

She could have just chosen to go live a quiet life after she'd left Creass' organisation. She could have set up a nice little farm on some non-Alliance planet in a quiet part of the galaxy. She could have lived surrounded by empty hills, open swaying harvests, and been happy. Sure there would have been the likelihood of a Wraith culling every now and then, but she'd lived most of her life with that threat. That was actually normal outside the Alliance. She would have just chosen somewhere with a good local underground cave system to hide in if there was a culling, and otherwise live a simple, peaceful life.

Instead she was here, in a Wraith Hive, by herself.

"I'm completely mad," she whispered to herself as she peered around a curved corner.

" _You keep saying that_ ," Inifee said in her ear.

"It's helping," she replied as she leant a little further out from the corner, looking down a long empty hallway. There were more Wraith bodies here, but she could see scorch-marks along one wall – weapons fire.

She pulled back a fraction and consulted the sensor pad.

She was two floors too high still, but she was almost directly above Oneakka's beacon now.

"I just need to get down two more floors," she promised herself and also informing Inifee.

She stepped out from the corner again and peered down the opposite direction from before. It was equally empty that way, and as equally full of dead Wraith. An Elite had definitely been this way.

But it was the partially collapsed section of floor to one side that drew her eye. Checking all directions repeatedly, she quickly crossed the corridor, heading towards the hole.

It was just a slither of space, where the floor and wall were parting company. Bits of the floor were crumbling down onto the level below, but there was enough space for her to squeeze through. She scanned the sensor pad over the floor, but there were no life-signs within immediate range on the next level down.

With one last check up and down the flickering corridor, she put one hand against the slimy wall and dropped down through the gap in one swift pull of gravity. Her plan was that her arrival would probably surprise the hell out of any Wraith within view, and that would hopefully throw them long enough for her to react first.

Yeah, because Wraith were well known for being slow lumbering creatures!

Just as she was falling, her boots heading towards the fast approaching new level's floor, it occurred to her that this floor might be as ready to collapse as the one she'd just jumped through. Fortunately though, her boots met hard floor and she dropped into a crouch, a strange mist swirling around her.

The lights were steadier down here, the glow constant through the humid mist as she looked ahead and then back over her shoulder.

No Wraith.

" _You alright?_ " Inifee asked.

"Why you see something coming this way?" She asked quickly, looking back and forth again.

" _No, you're just breathing really heavily_ ," Inifee replied.

"I just jumped through a melted hole in the floor of a Wraith Hive," she replied as she rose up from her crouch and consulted her pad again.

Oneakka was one floor below her and ahead by a few metres.

She headed that way, wondering if she should just try to cut a hole in the floor. Yes, because that would help him – the ceiling coming down on him.

She looked around her, but there was just one single corridor ahead of her, with no indications of how she could get down a floor. "I need to go down another floor, but I'm not sure which way to go to find a way down there."

" _Try going the other way,_ " Inifee supplied. " _There may be a transport chamber in that area; you could try and cut through the floor there_."

"Transport chamber?" Seeal whispered as she reversed direction and quickly followed the corridor in a slow curve to the right. "What's sounds like something tha- Whoa!"

Fortunately she had been watching where she was going because the corridor had suddenly simply stopped ahead of her.

" _What?! What is it?"_ Inifee asked, clearly worried.

"There's a giant hole in the Hive," she replied as she moved up to the torn edge of the corridor, looking across a gap at least six metres wide. On the far side, she could see the continuation of this corridor, but it wasn't just this level.

She tested the floor under her right boot, but it felt stable, so she leant further forward and looked up and around the giant gapping space.

"It's got to be down through four or more floors above here," she reported quietly. "And another floor or so down," she peered down into the dark uneven base of the hole, though there was a faint light was shining in across it from just below her.

The next floor down.

"Guess I've found my way down," she muttered as she reached for the strap that secured the sensor pad around her left hand, and started pulling it further up her arm. "I can see the next level below, I think I can climb down there," she reported to Inifee.

" _You sure that's safe?_ " Inifee asked as she settled the strap up above her elbow and then turned the pad so it was facing away from the back of her arm – she didn't need to be damaging it against the walls of the hole as she climbed down. The sensor pad was all that was going to help her find Oneakka, and then find their way back out of here.

She wished she had a rope or something, but as she leant out into the dark hole, the lights glowing in from the partial corridors around it highlighted the ends of girders and what looked like bone or something. The Wraith grew their tech didn't they – did that mean the Hive had a skeleton?

She reached out to the side of the corridor's torn wall and found a strong handhold as she crouched down at the floor's end. A faint updraft danced her hair around her face as she hung one leg out and found a good foot-sized ledge further down.

"I am _completely_ mad," she muttered as she let her weight settle on the foothold, which held, and then let her body move out into the hole.

She got an immediate face-up view of the uneven and broken edges of the torn Hive and she grabbed a girder like thing and stuck her boot into another available slot of space.

Actually, there was plenty to hold onto and she easily found new handholds, moving downwards quite quickly.

Sneaking into Wraith ships wasn't her thing, but climbing, well, here at least she was in her element.

She quickly leant that some of the protrusions were not as stable as they looked as she tested them with her boots, holding her weight steady and moving methodically. A purple like protrusion just crumbled, so she picked somewhere else.

It was faster going than she'd expected, and in quick time she was reaching level with the ceiling of the floor below.

Her breathing cool against her skin, she peered down towards the next level corridor. There was a clear girder lining the top of the ceiling. She climbed down a little further until she could reach down for it. She got a good grip. It felt strong.

It was probably going to be easier than climbing down that giant tall rope in the Facility's gym.

She went for it, letting go of her other handhold and letting herself fall down from the wall, while pulling hard on her good hold on the girder, swinging herself down and into the corridor below.

Her boot slipped on the floor as she landed though and she was forced to fall forward and perform a slightly nerve-wracking stumble down to the floor as she arrived.

She'd done it though. She was on the right level. Only her eyes were drawn to the large dark stain across the floor under her boots.

Blood.

She froze.

Was there a dying Wraith nearby?

Or was that Human blood?

She was almost certain Wraith blood was darker wasn't it? But then there was only the weak-ass emergency lighting down here.

She looked to the left, following the drying pool of blood – her own boot print obvious in the middle of it. The blood started at the edge of the floor and had obvious smears that told a clear story.

He'd climbed up.

She looked back the other way, her heart dropping.

The blood continued in a long smeared line down the centre of the corridor ahead.

Please be a Wraith.

She raced forward, lifting her arm, grabbing at her pad, swinging it back down and round as she ran.

There were handprints alongside the smear – large, surely Human handprints?

The corridor turned a curve to the left, the smear disappearing around it.

Her heart thumped in her chest.

She could be about to run into a dying Wraith that was going to all too pleased to find a Human arriving to save it...but, actually, that was the preferred option here.

His beacon blazed on the pad's screen, just off to the left ahead of her.

She raced around the corner and saw him up ahead.

He was on his front, his head and shoulders higher and he was still working to drag himself forward.

There was so much blood!

"Oneakka!" She shouted to him as she raced towards him. "Oneakka!"

She was faintly aware of Inifee's voice in her ear, but she couldn't hear him over the desperate panic pounding in her ears.

Oneakka's head turned, hearing her hopefully.

He had a long jagged gash along the top left side of his head, from his hairline backwards, and there was blood all over his armour.

"No, no, no, no, no" she chanted as she dropped to her knees next to him.

"Raven?" He asked, almost as if he doubted she was here.

"I'm here," she assured him as she reached for his shoulder. His skin felt cold – far too cold.

"Raven!" He almost shouted.

"I'm here," she repeated as she registered all the scratches on his arms, the dried path of blood down his unbelievably pale forehead. Even for him, he was too pale.

All his blood was on the floor. How was he even still alive!?

There was a blood soaked bandage around his middle, below a clearly broken base of his body armour at the back. Had he been stabbed? That would explain the amount of blood he was losing.

She moved to look at his back, but he abruptly grabbed at her arm.

"Raven!" He gasped. "Halling. You have to warn Halling!"

Shocked at his abrupt grab, she met Oneakka's wide eyes and saw nothing but panic in them.

She'd never seen him look like that.

If she hadn't already been scared out of her wits at being here and finding him like this, then his expression alone would have done it.

"He's fine," she assured him quickly. "He's several floors below, killing Wraith."

"No, the Queen!" Oneakka tightened his dark stained hand around her arm.

"He's going after her."

"No! You have to stop him."

"He double-clicked," she instantly repeated Inifee's protocol.

Oneakka blinked and frowned, clearly understanding the limitation of the clicking. But his wide eyes fixed back on hers. "Then you have to go after him. You have to save him!"

"No, I've got to help _you_ ," she argued.

"The Queen will kill him!"

Seeal tried to think clearly around her pumping adrenaline, tried to tear her eyes away from Oneakka's wide, desperate stare. His hold on her arm was getting heavy as he clearly couldn't hold himself upright, but he wasn't loosening his grip on her.

He had lost tons of blood, hit his head, he wasn't thinking straight.

"I need to get you help, Oneakka," she tried to explain.

"No, Raven!" Oneakka gasped, his expression twisting into untold new levels of desperate panic. "He doesn't know what he's facing. She's not a real Queen. Not a Wraith, she's something else. Something far worse."

Seeal froze, staring into his eyes. "What?"

"She's going to kill him. Please, you have to save him for me!" He begged. "Please! Raven!"

Everything inside her didn't want to leave him, but his voice as he begged her to help him do what he couldn't...

She instantly agreed, the urgency somehow flooding into her from him.

"Okay," she promised him, his heavy hand now pushing at her arm, pushing her to go.

To leave him here.

"Just," she got up, letting his weak push fall away from her. " _Don't_ go anywhere," she ordered him, and she didn't mean just physically.

"Hurry!" Oneakka begged.

She rushed forward, heading down the corridor he'd been dragging himself down. Trying to get to Halling.

She looked back at Oneakka as she ran, seeing his head dropping between his shoulders.

Oneakka!

She turned away, hating herself for what she was doing, but his panic, somehow it was hers now.

She lifted her pad, aware that one corner of it had blood on it, and tried to focus on the dots on the screen.

The quicker she got to Halling, the quicker she could get back to Oneakka. Get him medical care... Inifee!

"Inifee?" she shouted as she ran, belatedly remembering that the link was open.

" _I heard_ ," Inifee replied, his voice tight.

"Oneakka needs _urgent_ medical care," she shouted at him, uncaring about her voice carrying now.

" _I'm already on it_ ," Inifee replied. " _But the Fleet have just reported that the Wraith Cruisers from the border raids have just jumped out of hyperspace to help the Hive. They're engaging them now_."

"You have to get a medical team in here to him now or he's not going to make it," Seeal desperately explained.

" _I'll get help here, Seeal. I promise_."

Seeal didn't have the words to say anything back. Help was coming in for Oneakka, but she had to do what he'd begged her to first.

Had to do what he couldn't.

And perhaps fulfil his dying wish for him.

000000  
TBC


	37. The Skerti

**Note:** We are fast approaching the end of this fic, with only six more chapters after this one. So, I'm going to try my best to release more than one a week; will see how it goes.

00000

 **Chapter 37 – The Skerti**

It had taken a lot of work to make his way down through the levels of the Hive, not so much because of any problems of access, but the Wraith had clearly realised his intention was to hunt down the Queen.

Though Halling's sensor pad had showed a vast number of Wraith racing from the Hive, heading to the bays and out, a large number had remained, putting themselves between him and the Queen's retreat.

But their attack was just as uncoordinated and inept as it had been up on the higher levels with Oneakka. These Wraith were sick in body and mind, and their Hive was clearly falling apart and unable to save them, but their instincts still drove them to attack him to protect their Queen. Those attacks were simple rushing advances, which put them easily into the blast of his weapons, but their numbers had slowed him down.

That worried him, not so much because of the fact that the multiple repeated firings had drained both his primary weapons and one of his secondary weapons, but because, as sick and mad as they were, the Wraith had successfully delayed his descent towards the Queen's escape craft. Though he had made good progress and was now within sight of where the escape craft would normally be accessible, the Queen might already have had the time to escape.

He had not had the chance to consult his sensor pad since he'd made it to this final level, so he was not sure if she had already left. Though he had not heard or felt any tremors that suggested her escape craft had jettisoned, but perhaps she had left before he had reached this level.

If she had, hopefully the Fleet ships outside the hull would be looking out for her escape craft leaving, but he had hoped to catch her in time. They could not risk her managing to slip away among the ships and fighters outside and using this new unknown tech again in the future. If he could stop her here before she left, that would not be a problem.

That Inifee had called through over links earlier meant that the Ancestral ship was already docked back in the bay and waiting for him. So, if the Queen had left, then he would have to retreat back there, meet up with Oneakka, and see if they could track down the escape craft outside.

But there was the possibility that the Queen was still here, that perhaps her escape craft was damaged from the radiation, or perhaps she was sickly like her drones and warriors and was unable to escape any further.

Or perhaps she had decided to stay long enough to face him, which would be helpful.

Blasting his last remaining energy weapon down the hallway ahead of him, he shifted across to the left-hand wall. The walls in this section appeared healthier than on the other levels, and there were no signs that the ceilings or floors were weakened here. It was possible that this area had been better shielded from the radiation, or perhaps repaired more studiously, in order to ensure that the Queen could escape.

A curve to the corridor now presented the opportunity to check his pad, so he shifted into the natural protection of the curve and turned his back to the healthy webbed wall. Wraith stunner blasts tore through the space he'd just occupied, the Wraith too sick to realise still that he could not be stopped with stunner fire.

He lifted his pad.

The schematic showed that he was even closer than he'd realised to the entrance to the escape craft. It should be just beyond the next turn. On a standard Hive there was an intersection of corridors outside the entrance to the craft, providing the Queen multiple access points to reach her escape. It meant that there were a good number of Wraith life-signs glowing in that area, but Halling focused his attention on the slightly warmer glowing dot that presented the Queen.

Her signal was inside the escape craft – she hadn't left yet.

He had to be quick then.

He ran his eyes over the remaining Wraith signs. Perhaps twenty all close together, the last bastion left to protect their Queen.

He checked the power reading on the back of his last weapon as more stunner fire blasted past ineffectually. He had enough to take out these last Wraith and the Queen, but even if it did run out, he still had his blades. He had fought and won enough battles over the years with blades alone.

His last gun held ready, Halling watched the mass of Wraith life-signs moving towards his position on the pad's screen. They were all moving together, leaving only two single life-signs guarding the space outside the craft's entrance. A foolish decision, but one that would make his work easier.

He took a steadying breath, calming the adrenaline flooding his veins, and stepped boldly around the corner.

Wraith filled the corridor, rushing at him with renewed lightening fast speed regardless of their sickness.

He fired fast, constantly moving his shots, swinging his bombardment back and forth across the width of the corridor. The repeated firing lit up the hallway in a blazing light show, filling the low lit space with bright flares of dying energy blasts.

The air was absurdly loud with roaring, growling, hissing, death cries, and the sharp impacts of his weapons fire. The blasts of bright lights danced across Halling's retinas, partially blinding him, but he kept firing.

Wraith stunner fire struck him repeatedly in return, but it simply buzzed a loud dancing light show of its own around him.

Firing repeatedly, still holding his position, he simply let them run at him and their own end.

The pile of bodies started to build up, so that those behind couldn't get any closer. A few started to leap over the obstacle, throwing themselves with their more healthier speed, but he easily targeted them from this distance and they dropped like heavy weights onto the floor, further crowding the corridor.

They were too sick to be able to reconsider their attack, too lost in their mindset to just simply kill him. Their panic was almost palpable.

With so many of her warriors and drones falling, would the Queen be powering up her escape craft though?

He started moving forward, firing still, the numbers thinning out ahead of him now.

He had to navigate the piles of bodies carefully, briefly lowering his aim to fire at some still moving Wraith.

And then, abruptly, there were no more in his way.

The last Wraith in the corridor crumpled to the floor, its mouth hanging open with its last roaring hiss. Halling stopped his firing, lifting his pad to scan the mass of bodies. Only one showed a faint life-sign reading.

Moving over and around the mess, Halling fired at the lone life-sign and the last dot faded away on the screen.

The way was clear.

He hurried forward as quickly as he could over and around the fallen Wraith.

The two Wraith life-signs formerly stood guard outside the craft's entrance were gone, so the way to the escape craft was empty. The guards must have joined the rush at him instead.

But, just in case, he scanned the area around him again as he moved carefully forward into the intersection of corridors that met outside the Queen's craft.

There were no living Wraith in sight or within sensor range, except for her lone signal inside the craft.

Halling moved carefully towards the edge of the open entrance and lifted the pad again. She was definitely inside, only a few metres away.

She was either too sick to leave, or she was waiting to face him.

Oneakka had hoped she would be a fighter and he might turn out to be right after all.

The floor shuddered slightly under Halling's boots, a vibration that suggested that the fight outside the hull had restarted. Most likely stray weapons fire while the Fleet ships engaged with the departing Wraith fighters.

Halling edged his shoulder right up to the edge of the entrance into the craft, quickly shifting his eyes to the back of his weapon. He still had enough power.

And his knives were easy to hand.

She would most likely try to jump him the second he stepped through, so he would have to be quick. When they felt cornered, Queens could become fiercely violent; both physically and psychically.

He lifted his pad in his left hand, consulting the position of her life-sign. She wasn't near the door by the display's discernment.

Halling moved swiftly, slipping round and through the entranceway quickly and quietly, weapon high and his profile lowered.

There were no lights inside the craft, the depth of the blackness making it difficult for his eyes to make out any shapes at first.

There was no immediate attack.

She was hiding, waiting.

He shifted quickly to the left, moving into the dark room.

He knew the basic shape of these ships and the pad displayed the standard outline in relation to his position. The left side wall behind him, he moved carefully sideways, his eyes moving constantly, seeking out her shape somewhere within the deep blackness.

As he followed the curving line of the wall, his eyes started to adjust, though it was so intensely dark in here that the faint emergency lighting glowing in through the entrance was not all that much help as yet.

Still, it was enough for him to have a sense of the circular shape of the craft, which matched the standard of these types of ships. Some of the light ghosting in allowed sight of the domed ceiling above him and a series of curved rib-like columns spaced around the room, supporting the ceiling and helping brace the small craft against the forces of hyperspace. These escape craft were small, with only this main room and the small front piloting section, but they were robustly built.

Normally they were alight with consoles, flowing holographic displays, and the central large throne for the Queen was usually occupied.

This craft, however, was deathly dark and the throne was empty from what he could tell.

He could now make out the faintest tiny points of orange light across the large room that suggested a possible console, but it was too dim and too far away to provide him with any real perspective or helpful shadows.

She had either turned off the power purposefully to ambush him, or the radiation had affected the craft and it had lost power.

Halling suspected it was the former.

Edging carefully to the left, keeping close to the concealing darkness of the wall behind him, he lifted his pad higher into his view. The display had automatically detected the low light level around it and the screen was barely lit at all so as not to give away his position. However, since it was so dark in here, he was able to see it clearly enough.

There was one glowing dot across the far side of the room.

She was in here.

As he moved further to his left, the dark presence of one of the supportive rib-like columns formed out of the blackness. The emergency light from the entrance was weaker this far back, but he could see it glimmer across webbing wrapped around the bone column. He moved slowly behind it, keeping his eyes moving, letting his vision relax to allow any subtle movements within the darkness to register and pull his attention.

Nothing stirred.

He moved past the column, shifting his gaze briefly to the pad and away again.

She hadn't moved. He needed to get further around the left-side of the circular room to stop the light of the entrance casting over him and giving her the advantage, and allow that same light to fall across her instead. Wraith could see far better in the dark than Humans, but they were more sensitive to sudden brightness, which he would provide from his energy weapon when he fired it. He needed to select his moment carefully though, for the sudden light would affect his vision as well.

He controlled his breathing as he moved, his hearing straining for any hint of her moving that would provide him with her exact location.

His boot hit something along the floor.

He paused and shifted back a fraction, controlling his natural reaction to jump back and make a sudden sound.

His back close enough to the wall that he could feel it, he held still and quickly dropped his gaze to the floor.

The faint light shone across the bright white hair of a male Wraith, lying on its side.

Halling quick consulted his sensor pad again, but there was definitely no life reading from the body, and the Queen's signal hadn't moved.

Had this been one of the guards Halling had expected to have been at the entrance, or perhaps the warrior who was supposed to be her pilot?

Halling dropped his eyes quickly back down to the dead Wraith and up again. There was too much shadow to see how the Wraith had died; it was possible that it had been hit by his own weapons fire and had staggered in here to die, or perhaps it had succumbed to the effects of the radiation.

Either way, it was in Halling's way, so, keeping his eyes on the darkness around him, he set his left boot against the Wraith and rolled it away onto its back. He lifted his boot to nudge the body's closest limp leg aside as well, but, as he glanced briefly down, something odd caught his eye.

There was a large dark stain across the side of the Wraith's face, neck and down over the top of its chest. The stain had an uneven splattered edge to it – blood.

That was unusual, but then so much of this Hive was unusual.

Still, Halling shifted a little closer to the body and quickly dropped his eyes back down to it.

It was definitely blood, and it appeared to have come from the closest side of the Wraith's neck. Peering a little closer in brief glances, Halling lowered himself. His eyes were adjusting well to the darkness now, though it was still deeply thick across the room. However, he was able to see the outline of the male Wraith's neck and the two raised dark circles on the side of its throat.

He blinked and peered closer.

Puncture wounds.

He pulled up and stepped back again quickly, his eyes shifting around the craft.

Had the Queen, starved and sick from the radiation, tried to eat her own kind?!

Clearly it hadn't worked and all she had done was open up its vein. Unless she had been after its blood for some bizarre reason.

He'd assumed the Queen would tolerate the radiation far better than the males, since Queens were normally more resilient, but clearly this Queen was not right.

A new nervous edge caught at Halling's awareness, the idea of being eaten alive a horrific one even in the face of the usual culling feeding of Wraith.

Something moved across the room within the darkness.

Halling fired immediately, the blaze of energy fire streaking across the room to slam against the far wall in a dazzling burst of light, which lit up the faint shape of the tall Queen moving away from the blast.

Halling fired again, tracking her moving position, but the next blast of fire missed again.

She could move quickly even with her likely sickness.

Halling fired again, just ahead of where he predicted she was headed, except this time the explosion of light showed nothing.

He held fire this time, letting his eyes and ears report her movements to him...except he heard nothing, saw only the newly impenetrable darkness after the blasts of dazzling weapons fire.

He blinked one eye shut for a breath and then opened it, and repeated the same with his other eye, helping his vision to adjust to darkness quicker.

Nothing moved.

He couldn't hear her.

Though...a faint niggling sensation started up, like something itching inside his head.

Was she trying to enter his mind?

From long practice, he quickly reinforced his mental imagery to strengthen the defences of his mind, just as Teyla and the other Seekers had taught him. He pictured himself stood within the safety of Tjaru, the city's walls growing taller than they could ever be in reality, and the Ancestral gateway glowed with powerful strength.

A deep sound echoed across the ship, a strange sound that was perhaps...laughter?

He lifted his pad quickly.

Her dot glowed.

Moving.

Directly towards him.

He lifted his weapon higher, peering into the darkness, but nothing seemed to move.

He shifted his eyes back to the pad again, she was still moving, almost to him!

But nothing moved in front of him, unless...

He lifted his eyes upwards, up towards the domed ceiling above him, and a large darker shadow within the dome was clearly moving.

She was on the ceiling!

A sudden forceful and entirely unreal pressure struck down hard at him, making him stagger from the mental pressure of her psychic assault.

" _Elite,_ " a word shouted into his head, tearing painfully into both of his temples.

He'd never felt anything like that before. How could a single word hurt so much?

" _I wait_." Two more words arrived into his skull, and he gritted his teeth hard through the pain.

His legs threatened to buckle under him, but he held himself up, and forced himself to look back up towards the ceiling. To fire at her.

The pressure increased and he gasped loudly.

Tjaru's walls.

He'd never felt a Wraith mind like this! It was unbelievable.

He focused his thoughts quickly back on the strength and safety of Tjaru's Ancestral walls and the tall, ancient gateway.

" _Weak_ ," the voice ripped in his head.

He wished he didn't immediately agree with that statement, but he breathed hard, shifting backwards towards the wall behind him, managing to keep a tight hold on his weapon.

Where was she?

Above him still?

" _Show me_ ," the words demanded. " _Their fear. Reason_."

Breathing hard, the long remembered Tjaru Gateway in his mind; he forced himself to remember the power of standing in the shadow of the Gateway as a child, staring up at its massive strength. The Gateway's towers had appeared to reach the sky and he had stood in awe of them.

The pressure lessened slightly.

He pictured the long strong walls of Tjaru running out from either side of the Gateway towers; the city walls that had protected Athosians for centuries, strengthened by Ancestral hands.

A faint hiss echoed from the ceiling.

He started to be able to move his arm again, and he forced it to move upwards, slowly pointing his weapon up towards the Queen somewhere above him.

But it was too late.

A heavy mass within the darkness detached from the dome above, dropping down towards him, and something hard and heavy struck at Halling's right arm.

The weapon dropped from his hand, his forearm screaming in pain, but he had no time to pull back, for something warm and tight slid around his throat.

It had been so fast that he had barely registered the pale skin until the hand was around his neck.

And suddenly he was being lifted up.

Despite his own inmate height and well trained weight, it felt as if she lifted him without any struggle. His boots left the floor in an instant, his neck stretched in sharp blazing pain that ran down into his shoulders and back, and his head throbbed, his vision dimming.

Grabbing quickly at her overly large hand, he squeezed his left fingertips in between her hand and his throat, allowing him to brace his weight a little and take some of the pressure off his throat, and he gasped into the darkness.

As oxygen started to arrive again, he was already striking out at her. He hammered his right fist into her wrist, but it was still her hand, the appendage bizarrely larger than he'd expected. He hit at her again, but she shoved hard at him, and his back was slammed into the wall. It forced more air out of him, but the wall was finally something supportive at least. He bent his knees, shoving the soles of his boots against the wall, working to get some traction to help support his weight. He had to get more air, be able to see, fight!

He slammed hard at her hand with his right fist again and worked to get his left fingers further between her hold and his throat.

He couldn't breathe enough.

The urge to cough, to gag, was overwhelming, but he couldn't pass out.

If he did, it would be over.

He struck forward now, aiming for the bleary shape of her head and neck in the faint light, his vision oxygen-starved and fading.

His punch wasn't even close to reaching her though, and he instantly could see why.

The world seemed to freeze in the moment that he was able to finally focus on her face.

The hold on his throat lessened a fraction, allowing him to drag in a breath as he stared at the thing that held him.

It wasn't a Wraith!

She had the pale skin of a Wraith, but her face was longer, her jaw seeming too large for her skull, and there were dark veins crossing her face. Her slit eyes were bright yellow, even in the low light, as they stared at him.

She opened her mouth, revealing silvery Human-like teeth, except for two exceptionally long fangs, which were stained with blood.

The reality hit him far harder than anything in his life.

It wasn't a Wraith.

He was alone.

In the dark.

This was it!

The moment Sitayi had told him about.

This was it.

The Ancient enemy returned!

The alien Queen closed her mouth, her eyes narrowing.

" _Know us_ ," words slammed around in his head. " _We. Return_." The words arrived with clear pleasure in them as they tore loudly through his brain. " _The_ _Skerti Will Rise_!"

Panic hit Halling in a crashing wave. He kicked out both his legs towards her, uncaring now about supporting his weight in her weirdly large hand, and he slashed his right fingernails towards her eyes.

She hissed at the attack, but her arms were longer than normal and she easily pulled her head back out of range. But one of his boots made contact with her. He kicked again, hitting what felt like the narrow line of her ribcage.

She hissed louder and her hand tightened, starting to crush his windpipe. " _Rebel_!" She shouted into his brain.

Knives!

He grabbed down to his right side, reaching for a handle of one of his eight knives, but somehow she had seen his intention too quickly.

Warm skin wrapped hard around his forearm and she snapped his arm up and away from his holster with a strength that almost dislocated his shoulder. She slammed his arm against the wall beside him, pinning him in place now by his arm as well as his throat.

He kicked out again, wriggling in her hold now, tensing his shoulders and neck has hard as he could to protect his throat, as the darkness dimmed further around him.

He knew he was seconds from death if he did nothing.

In a risk that he wasn't even aware of deciding, he pulled his left fingers free, which had been protecting his throat, and grabbed at the left side of his holster.

His fingers found the familiar position of a knife handle and, in a smooth well trained motion, he pulled it out, up, and round.

Through swimming vision, he saw his hand slice up, the small blade cutting up and across the back of her hand that was holding him up by his throat.

She made a sound like a roar, but with a hissing rage to it, and abruptly she let him go.

He fell to the floor, collapsing down at the foot of the wall, gasping for full breaths.

He had to stay conscious; had to keep hold of his knife.

He needed another one.

Or his gun.

He forced himself to look up, bringing up the small knife still held tightly in his left fist.

But she was suddenly already there.

Her hand clamped around his left forearm, halting his strike and the knife in his hand. He tried to resist, pushing his arm hard against her grip, and simultaneously clawed up at her approaching face with his right hand.

Her mouth was open, her fangs projecting towards him.

He punched at her face, but she somehow shifted in time so the strike slid off her cheekbone, and she came at him again. He shoved his right hand against the front of her face this time, spreading his palm and fingers over her nose and one eye, gripping the sides of her face with his spread fingers as he held her back. Bracing his back against the wall, he put everything he had into holding her, and her fangs, at arm's length.

Her face felt hot in his grip, and she flailed her head one way and then the other, trying to dislodge his hand, but he held on tightly, gripping and pushing hard.

He had to hold her back; had to keep those fangs away.

She hissed, loud and angry, and he felt something claw at the wall just to his right.

She still had a hand free!

He was in the worst position, half slumped against the foot of the wall, his legs partially caught under his own body so he had no way to wriggle them out to kick her.

Panic and blazing fear helped him in that moment though, he was sure of it. He put everything he had into holding her head back and in resisting her grip on his left arm, preventing him bringing his small lone knife around at her.

He had more knives on his holster, the long one at the back...

He couldn't get to them though.

The energy weapon was lost somewhere on the dark floor.

She pulled back slightly, but he kept a tight hold on her face, allowing her to lift him partly away from the wall, but then her other hand was suddenly in motion towards his face.

A hot, dry large hand spread across his own face, pushing hard. The back of his shoulders were again pushed hard against the wall behind him, and her grip tightened on his face, just like he was to her.

Except her grip was stronger and he felt it forcing his head round to the left.

He tried to resist, tensing every muscle, every part of his body, but her strength was too much.

He shouted in pain as muscles screamed in the side of his neck as his head was forced to the side. If the wall were not behind him, she surely had the strength to break his neck.

She pressed in harder against his left arm and his right hand against her face. She was trying to get closer to him, get her teeth to him, into the now turned and exposed right side of his throat.

He screamed with the effort, pushing against her with all his might.

Holding her back.

The moment held, his awareness of it shifting.

He remembered Sitayi' wide, haunted eyes.

Oneakka's promise, his desperation to deny this moment would arrive.

And this was it.

If he died, everyone would die.

He felt tears of rage in his eyes as he blinked hard, unable to clearly see the alien with her large hand partially over his face and his head turned.

He swore he could feel her breath on the side of his throat even though she was still at arm's length.

His arm was shaking though, the growing tremors of muscle fatigue a horrifying reality down the limb.

The edges of her claws were cutting into his face as she hissed at him, pushing harder at him.

She was too strong.

He could feel the impasse slowly shifting.

In her favour.

His left arm was weakening faster, her grip around his forearm starting to push his arm back.

She was winning.

She had only to keep up her pressure on him and wait for his arms to give out.

" _Rebel. All Elite. Die_ ," her words hit into his head, the mental pressure from before abruptly tearing though his skull again.

He gritted his teeth, panting as he tried desperately to remember the walls of Tjaru, to remember their strength, to help him to-

A blast of light shot through his limited view of the alien and her grip suddenly lessened on his face.

A sharp crack and blast again lit up the air in front of Halling.

Energy weapons fire.

He didn't think much further than that, for the alien had pulled back from him as she turned towards the new threat, hissing loudly.

His hands were free.

He registered that someone was stood off to the right, but he didn't think any further than that.

His hand was at the back of his holster the second he lifted his back from the wall, his hand sliding around the handle of his longest knife.

The blade sliced through the air as he swung it round.

Another burst of weapons fire lit up the alien, its yellow eyes starting to shift back towards him again through the dazzling light.

But it was too late for the creature.

Halling's long, sharp knife blade cut through the alien's oddly delicately shaped neck in one clean slice.

Blood splattered through the air as Halling's momentum carried him onwards, round and down onto his left side on the floor.

He felt the pressure on his mind disappear as he landed, and he blinked up to see the alien's head topple to the floor.

In a frozen long moment of seconds, he watched the head roll away, the long pale body falling down a moment later.

He let out a long breath, heard it shake with emotion and shock.

He kept his eyes locked on the creature though, as if expecting it to come alive again.

Was it over?

Sitayi' prediction?

He had survived.

"Halling?!"

The moment broke, and the voice registered and Halling realised it wasn't who he had expected.

He sat upright from the floor, panting still, and looked round towards the craft's entrance to see a female shape moving in from the light outside. Seeal?

"Are you alright?" Seeal voice asked worriedly as she moved closer, her features becoming clearer though the darkness. Her eyes and weapon were still focused down on the alien body.

"I'm okay," Halling confirmed.

Where had Seeal come from? He had assumed it had been Oneakka who had arrived to save him.

"Thank you," Halling told her gratefully as he worked to get up off the floor. His neck and upper back burned with excessive muscle strain and he still couldn't quite breathe properly, his lungs working hard from the adrenaline and near suffocation.

"What is this thing?" Seeal asked, her own voice shaking and fast.

Halling shook his head as he stood upright, staring down at the body.

It was just as tall as he had suspected during the battle, even without its head.

The head was a good few metres away from the body, but Halling felt the compulsion to kick it further away, just in case.

"If its dead we have to go," Seeal stated, urgency plain clear in her voice.

"It's dead," Halling hoped.

"We have to go now," Seeal ordered loudly as she turned away, rushing back towards the entrance. "Oneakka's dying."

Halling's settling world suddenly spun around again.

He snapped his eyes to Seeal's departing back, heading out of the craft.

"What?!" He raced after her.

"He's really hurt," her voice shouted back as he ran out into the contrastingly bright emergency lighting outside. The floor shuddered under Halling as he turned a sharp left, Seeal jumping over the piles of dead Wraith ahead of him down the corridor.

"What happened?" Halling shouted as he ran after her.

"I think he was stabbed," she replied, her voice clearly panicked. "Inifee!" She shouted. "I've got Halling and we're heading back. Is the medical team here?"

Halling reached up to his earpiece, desperately grateful to feel that it was still in place in his ear canal. He tapped the links awake and Inifee's voice arrived mid sentence into his ear.

" _...inbound, but the fight is making it difficult for them to get into the bay._ "

"They need to be in here _now_ ," Seeal shouted back, though she didn't need to shout over the links.

But Halling understood what her panic meant.

Understood the speed with which she led him down the broken and scorched walls of the corridor.

Oneakka was dying.

Sitayi' prediction of death in the moment of darkness raged through Halling's mind and ears as he caught up with Seeal, the two of them racing on with blind abandon.

0000  
TBC


	38. The Field

00000

 **Chapter 38 – The Field**

The cloaked Ancestral ship had not appeared to have been detected as it passed swiftly through the Genii Portal and up into the clear bright skies over the homeworld's First City.

And, somewhere here, Teyla sensed the unmistakeable presence of a Wraith.

"There is definitely a Wraith here," Teyla confirmed to John's people closely crowded around her.

Invited into the front section of the ship while they had waited for Atlantis to achieve a lock through to the Genii homeworld, Teyla stood between the anxiously watchful Lieutenants Cadman and Ford as all eyes watched forward out of the large window.

First City was an impressive sight spread across the landscape below. The first surface settlement of the Genii had been a bold and vital statement in the Alliance during its first formative years. Across the heart of the city, tall stone buildings ran in semi-circular patterns alongside the long straight lines of the main roads running between the Portal and the main buildings of the Genii' Government. And off to the far left, the largest and most impressive building: The Palace. It was Cowen's stronghold and a glowing gilded pyramid-like building, the top far narrower than its solid wide base.

Teyla had always been impressed by First City, but today cast a dark shadow across her appreciation.

Somewhere here, John had been imprisoned. Tortured.

"No signs we've been detected," the pilot announced from his front left seat. All the other seats were full, as was the back section full of waiting, ready warriors.

All here to help save John.

Would they be in time though?

Teyla reached up to her links earpiece.

"They shouldn't be able to detect the Jumper," Dr McKay supplied confidently from somewhere behind Teyla.

Teyla selected the emergency links channel Vakalis had supplied her with, and triggered it alive in her ear.

"We're not picking up the Major's subcutaneous transmitter," the pilot reported next.

"Alliance technology can disable them," Teyla reminded them. She cupped her hand to her ear, helping shield her hearing from the conversation around her. "Honour Guard, this is Elite Emmagan, do you read me?" She asked tensely.

The chatter around her fell quiet, all eyes and hears on her.

It had taken a little longer than they had hoped to open a wormhole here, so the Honour Guard had been here alone a short while already and had hopefully narrowed down John's location within the city.

A burst of receiving static came alive in her ear and then " _Honoured Elite, I hear you_ ," Vakalis' voice returned into her ear. " _We have Major Sheppard in our company_."

Teyla let out a deep relieved breath. "They have found Major Sheppard," she reported to those around her and the anxious atmosphere abruptly broke.

" _He is in good health_ ," Vakalis added.

"He is well and in company of the Honour Guard," Teyla relayed to the packed ship.

"Yes!" Lieutenant Ford said loudly from her right, clenching one of his fists high in victory.

"Where are they?" Colonel Sumner demanded from the back section of the ship.

" _We are not too far from the Portal, in the market quarter._ _I am sending our position_ ," Vakalis replied, the link likely having allowed him to hear the Colonel's question. " _There is a small courtyard with a door open to a bunker. We are holding position at the entrance to that bunker. Be aware, enemy numbers have retreated and are unaccounted for_."

"I'm picking up your radio signal, Ma'am," the pilot of the Ancestral ship announced, the Ancestral technology easily detecting the emergency signal apparently. "We've got the Honour Guard's position."

The front window shifted, First City abruptly tilting as the pilot turned the ship completely around, back towards the Portal and then off to the left. A circle glowed to life on the map displayed across the window.

"Take us there now," Colonel ordered unnecessarily from the back. "All stand ready," he ordered his warriors and Teyla heard a chorus of replies and the metal clatter of Earth weapons being checked and loaded ready.

"The Honour Guard report that the enemy has retreated and are currently unaccounted for," Teyla conveyed to the warriors, and Si, who was stood at the far end of the ship so that he would be one of the first out. "They are holding position at the entrance to a bunker in a small courtyard."

" _Report also,_ " this time Vakalis' voice echoed out of the Ancestral ship's own speakers as well as into her ear. " _We have the Wraith prisoner with us as well_."

"The Wraith?" Dr McKay asked worriedly.

" _It appears that Major Sheppard and the Wraith worked together to escape, reaching one of the top levels of the bunker when we arrived to assist_ ," Vakalis reported. " _Major Sheppard has requested that the Wraith leave here with us_."

Teyla frowned at that bizarre news, aware of the others around her exchanging equally shocked expressions with each other. However, she was not as shocked to hear that John, as was so often his way, had found an unconventional way to help his own rescue.

"Understood," she said simply to Vakalis as she looked forward again, the market quarter of First City growing larger outside. The buildings were not as tall in this section and Teyla seemed to recall that this area was one of the older sections built over tunnels leading down to the underground cities.

The glowing circle on the Ancestral display indicating the source of the links to the Honour Guard was growing more precise across the market quarter as the ship fast approached.

After this, she was going to have to talk to John about asking him to be fitted with an Elite personal beacon. The Genii would not have been able to disable one of those so easily. She felt abruptly angry with herself for not having thought of that before now. She would speak to John about it later today.

Or would it be too late for that?

Vakalis had reported John as 'well', but considering how much he had been fed upon, the question would be how much life he had left.

She pressed her lips together in an anxious rush.

No, the most important fact was that he was safe.

They would deal with the other details later.

For now, she needed to get to his side and then see him safety off this planet.

"I can see the courtyard, Sir," the pilot called loudly towards Colonel Sumner further back in the ship.

"Take us in, the back hatch towards the extraction point," Sumner ordered back.

Beside Teyla, Lieutenants Cadman and Ford were moving away from her, heading into the back section, anxious to get to John. Teyla held her position though, taking in the details of the fast approaching courtyard among the buildings. She noted all the paths into and out of the courtyard as the Ancestral lowered down across the buildings' rooftops.

Would Kolya's people have truly abandoned the area upon John's rescue or were they waiting still? She ran her eyes over the rest of the map displayed across the window; it showed plenty of life-signs within and around the buildings below, but a distinct reduced number around the exact courtyard in question. It was likely that those close by had evacuated the area upon the Honour Guard engaging Kolya's guards outside the bunker. But, they would still have to be cautious. Kolya's people might be preparing to sweep in and engage them, attempt to kill John in a more direct manner this time.

"We're coming in over the courtyard," the pilot announced.

Outside, the square sandy shape of the target courtyard came into view over the last rooftop and Teyla could see Meroe, one of the Honour Guard, stood with her back towards the dark outline of a doorway in the furthest wall, waving one of her arms widely.

"We see you," Teyla reported to Vakalis over the links, since Meroe and the Guard could not see the Ancestral ship.

"Friendlies at 12 o'clock," the pilot reported for those in the back. "The Jumper should fit in the courtyard."

"Take us down," Sumner ordered.

"Yes, Sir," the pilot agreed as the courtyard disappeared under the belly of the ship and then the view started moving as the pilot turned the ship around so the back hatch would face the entrance to the bunker.

Teyla turned away from the view, moving into the back section once again, to find that all the Atlantis warriors were stood facing the back hatch, ready to deploy.

"Vakalis," Teyla called into her links, "stand clear of the courtyard, we are coming in to land."

" _Understood_ ," Vakalis replied, his voice as loud in the back section of the ship as it had been in the front.

She pulled out a stunner from her right hip as she moved into the space ready for her between Lieutenant Cadman's shoulder and a slightly worried looking Dr McKay. Lieutenant Ford was ahead of her, his weapon held against him, eager to go.

And, beside Lieutenant Ford, stood one of Atlantis' doctors, the handle of a large bulky green case in her hand. Here to give medical care to John.

Teyla looked away from the box and focused forward, seeing that Colonel Sumner was looking backwards, down the ship, his hand raised near the trigger to open the hatch.

"Taking us down," the pilot called.

"As soon as the back is open, fan out and secure the perimeter of the courtyard," Colonel Sumner ordered his people and then hit his fist against the trigger and the back started to open.

A faint shudder shook them all gently, announcing that the ship was finally on the ground.

The hatch seemed to take far too long to open for Teyla, the warm and dry air of First City rushing in around them.

The reddish stone of the building opposite was gradually revealed through the hatch, with an awning reaching out to one side and what looked like the abandoned structure of a wide vegetable stall came into view.

Then the top of the doorway, Meroe and Tyndall stood by it, weapons held close, but not raised.

Teyla could not see John yet in that dark doorway, but she knew the Honour Guard would keep him inside and protected until the immediate area was safe.

The hatch hit the courtyard ground. "Go!" Sumner ordered and John's people moved forward in two long efficient lines, pouring out of the ship and disappearing around to either side of the hatch.

Teyla strode forward, her eyes on the dark doorway, Colonel Sumner and Si ahead of her and Lieutenant Ford and Cadman on either side of her.

Neith, the third member of the Guard, stepped out of the doorway towards Si and the Colonel, inclining her head.

Teyla stepped down off the back hatch into the warm sunshine, her eyes locked forward.

She heard voices calling back and forth, was aware of those of Atlantis securing all access points into the courtyard, but her gaze remained fixed on that dark doorway.

A shadow shifted in the rectangle and John finally appeared.

Teyla pulled up sharply, shocked despite herself.

He looked as he normally did.

John grinned as he moved out into the sunshine.

"Major?" Sumner called to him as he approached John.

"Colonel," John grinned back.

"What the-?!" Dr McKay exclaimed from Teyla's left, which helped break her out of her own open-mouthed staring.

John looked from Sumner to them. "Hi guys," he called.

He looked well and healthy, with no apparent signs of the feedings.

The reason hit her abruptly, obvious now she recalled Vakalis' report about John having worked with the Wraith.

The Wraith had returned the life it had taken from John.

Teyla moved forward again, heading straight for John.

His eyes moved from Lieutenant Ford, who was clapping a happy excitable hand on John's shoulder, and John's gaze met hers. His eyes were bright and cheerful.

He looked so well!

"What the hell happened?" Dr McKay exclaimed again.

"Nice of you to show up, McKay," John teased his friend.

"What-" Dr McKay started to reply.

"What's the situation, Major?" Colonel Sumner asked more directly from his side, the older man's gaze directed down at the foot of the vegetable stall. Teyla realised that there were several, presumably stunned, Genii lying on the sandy ground there and that Si was stood over them, his sensor pad in his hand.

"The Genii responsible have retreated, Sir," John replied to his superior. "The Honour Guard saw them off for us. There's a big bunker down there, so they're probably long gone."

Teyla finally reached him, stopping a foot away from him, staring up at his healthy handsome face.

He smiled down at her.

Lieutenant Ford squeezed John's shoulder again, slightly shaking him. "It's good to see you, Major," the younger man said eagerly.

Abruptly there was more movement in the doorway behind John as Vakalis finally appeared and, a step behind him, the Wraith filled the doorway.

The reaction of John's people was immediate, even though they had known it was here, and they all lifted weapon towards the Wraith.

"Whoa! Whoa!" John stepped backwards, his arms held out wide. "No shooting, guys. He's with us."

Teyla was rather impressed with John's people's restraint and training, as not a single shot was fired. Had she not already known a Wraith was here, she would have fired instinctively at the creature.

She latched her eyes on it though, stepping to one side so that she had a clear line of sight on it around John, watching as the Wraith took a large step out into the sunlight and into full view.

The Wraith held his hands up, appearing calm and almost...amused?

"It's okay," John continued to reassure. "He's promised not to hurt anyone."

Teyla frowned at the Wraith, its alien eyes shifting over the weapons across the courtyard pointed him, and then his gaze settled on her.

She had never heard a Wraith make such a promise as John described, and, even if one had, the idea of one keeping its word was inconceivable to her.

"He's okay," John's voice sounded closer.

Teyla glanced briefly away from the Wraith to find that John had been speaking directly to her. He was less than a few feet away from her, his healthy face so earnest that she started to actually consider allowing the Wraith to live.

"It gave you back what it took," Teyla checked, in case there had been another Wraith involved.

"Yeah," John nodded, his smile crooked. "He gave it all back."

"To save itself," she pointed out. This was the creature that had almost killed him, probably would have had the situation been different. It had tortured him in front of her eyes over those repeated transmissions, and now John was asking for leniency?

"Sheppard gave me back my life," the Wraith stated in a strong, loud voice as it took a few more steps forward into the courtyard. "I merely repaid the debt."

It was oddly calm and was strangely eloquent.

"What debt?!" Dr McKay spluttered, still clearly at a loss in seeing John as he was. "He looks younger than he did before!"

It was not an exaggeration either, for John did indeed seem so full of life.

But, from those few Elite who had survived to report on Wraith torture, she knew that giving life after taking it was a form of aggressive and addictive handling by the Wraith. There was a theory that perhaps the Wraith did this to their worshippers, making them addicted and obsessed with the sensation of having life returned to them in all its glory. One Elite who had gone through the experience had told her that he had never felt so alive and yet simultaneously so enslaved in all his life.

Teyla searched John's face, fearfully looking for any signs that might tell her that this Wraith had done something similar to him.

John smiled reassuringly at her. It was not the smile or manner of someone agitated or manically joyful – he looked like him. Like his usual, honest self.

She blinked, unable to stop herself from smiling back at him, though aware of so many eyes watching, the least of which was the Wraith.

"Then we take the prisoner with us," Colonel Sumner concluded bluntly. "I don't want us staying here much longer."

Teyla watched the Wraith's eyes drop to her throat as it moved further forward, and she saw it studying the long line of her markings represented each Queen she had killed in hand-to-hand combat.

The Wraith's eyes shifted over to Si, who was moving around behind the Wraith, and then the greenish yellow slit eyes returned to Teyla.

The Wraith paused in front of her, towering over her, its chin held high as it looked down at her.

She reached out with her gift, sliding her mind against its thoughts.

The Wraith's attention focused on her more intently, one eyebrow lifting in surprise.

"He's okay," John explained from her left, having moved closer. "We made a deal that we'd both get off this planet."

The Wraith's eyes slid to John. "I did not truly think you would honour it," the Wraith told him.

Every instinct in Teyla's body told her to move between the two, to protect John from the creature, but...

Its mind did seem unusual; far was more intelligent and focused than any Wraith mind she'd encountered before.

"We made a deal," John told the Wraith with clear determination.

Teyla watched the Wraith actually smile at John, and, in its mind, she felt the stirring of what she could only describe as respect and admiration.

It respected John.

A bond had been formed it appeared.

"We're taking a Wraith with us?" Lieutenant Ford asked, clearly unsure about the idea as he glanced at Colonel Sumner.

Teyla withdrew her mind from the Wraith's, its eyes returning to her with that strange intent intelligence it had.

She had understood from the Wraith's mind that John was not talking about taking the Wraith back to Atlantis with them; John intended to free it.

She looked round at John. "If we let it go, it will kill more people."

"And you," the Wraith interrupted, "you will kill more of my kind."

Teyla ignored that and kept her eyes on John.

"He's not like other Wraith," John told her. "He's been trapped down in that bunker, or one like it, for years. Kolya's been starving and torturing him too."

She had sensed the Wraith's blissful delight when it had stepped out into the sunlight.

But it was another fact that caught her interest more. "Kolya is down in the bunker?" She asked. If they could find him and bring him to justice...she had more than a few words to say to him.

"No," John shook his head. "He was there on M1K when they captured me, but I've not seen him since."

Disappoint hit Teyla, but it could not last long in the face of John being so alive and well in front of her. Her eyes lowered to the top of his chest, to the open parting of his shirt where his healed skin showed no sign of the former feeding mark.

The Wraith had done that. Had returned John whole.

She looked back at the Wraith, feeling its fast mind once again.

A strange new sensation formed in his thoughts.

Respect once again.

But, this time, for her.

She frowned at the Wraith.

It smiled at her.

It was very clever this one. Perhaps too clever to allow free.

"Colonel Sumner, we're picking up some interesting local chatter," someone announced from behind her.

"What?" Colonel Sumner asked.

"They're announcing that Cowen has been killed."

Teyla snapped her attention away from the Wraith, looking back over her shoulder to the Atlantis warrior stood just inside the back of the ship.

"Everyone back in," Sumner ordered. "We're bringing the Wraith with us," he concluded in an instant.

The Atlantis warriors around the courtyard started pulling back, and Lieutenants Cadman and Ford waved the Wraith forward cautiously.

Teyla watched the Wraith as it was escorted towards the ship, John still at her side as the Honour Guard moved close.

"We will go back to the Portal on foot, Honoured Elite," Vakalis said without her asking, drawing her attention away from the Wraith. Si was following it though, so he would keep a close eye on the Wraith.

She focused her full attention on the Honour Guard. It was doubtful that there was space in the Ancestral ship to take them back anyway. "You did wonderful work," she told them, aware of John moving up right next to her, nodding. "As soon as you are back on Athos, contact Atlantis and let me know you returned safely and inform my Father of the mission's success."

John held out his hand. "Thank you, Vaky."

Vakalis smiled as he shook his hand.

"Thank you all fo-," John started to stretch out his hand to Neith next, but another voice cut through his words.

"Major! Get in here," Colonel Sumner shouted loudly from the ship.

"Thank you, all of you," John repeated again quickly to the rest of the Honour Guard, who all nodded back, all smiling. They had done exceptional work and she would ensure they received an official commendation on their military records for today.

"We'll see you soon, Major," Vakalis smiled to John.

The Ancestral ship's engines were activating, the sandy layer across the courtyard stirring up around them.

Teyla turned away from the Honour Guard, seeing that everyone was inside the ship, except Lieutenants Cadman and Ford who were stood on the back hatch, eyes out across the courtyard, covering her and John's retreat. Inside the ship, Teyla could see Dr McKay was looking back at them, still looking shocked at John's recovery.

John hurried forward with her, his shoulder brushing against hers and she looked round at him as they ran up to the ship.

He grinned at her, bright and handsome in the Genii sunlight.

He was alive and well.

She wanted to reach out to him, to hold his hand if nothing else, but they had reached the back hatch, the air rough with sand as they hurried up into the crowded back of the ship.

"We're in," John called the second they stepped up off the hatch.

"You're gonna want to hear this, Major," Colonel Sumner called from the far front of the ship as the hatch started closing behind Teyla's back.

To the left, Atlantis warriors had secured the wrists of the Wraith and it was being directed to sit down in the middle of the left bench, a semi-circle of weapons and eyes focused on it. But it was Si standing among them that reassured her the most as she passed them.

She saw Si glance at her, saw the surprised edge to his expression that told her that he was also very aware of how unusual this Wraith's mind was, but was also concerned about having brought it with them.

Teyla was conflicted about it as well, but, for now, John had made a promise to the creature that he seemed intent to keep.

Once they were off the Genii homeworld, then she would have to talk about it further with him.

Trusting all the eyes in the back to watch the Wraith for now, she followed John down the length of the ship, aware of General O'Neill's voice in the air.

"You're kidding!" she heard Dr McKay exclaim loudly ahead of them as she and John reached the front section.

"What we got?" John asked.

Teyla shifted in next to him, pressing her shoulder and arm right up against the warmth of John's in the narrow aisle between the seats. He felt reassuringly real and strong, and he didn't move away from her.

"They're announcing Kolya as the new leader of the Genii," Dr McKay summarised angrily for John and Teyla snapped her attention away from the feel of John.

"What?!" John asked like a curse as the ship started lifting up from the courtyard.

" _They're making some big announcement at somewhere called 'The Palace'_ ," General O'Neill's voice echoed out of the air.

"It is the large gold-edged building we saw when we came through the Portal," Teyla informed them. "It is Cowen's official residence and seat of the Supreme Leader."

Who was now Kolya.

"He has achieved his aim after all," she sighed with angry disappointment.

" _There are massive crowds heading towards the Palace_ ," reported General O'Neill's voice. " _We can see hundreds from the Gate_."

"Are you in any danger, General?" Colonel Sumner asked.

" _Doesn't look like anyone's upset with us anymore. It's more like a party here; like its Mardi Gras_ ," the General replied.

Teyla let out a heavy breath. "Cowen's rule has become dictatorial these last years. His death will no doubt be greeted with celebration by many."

" _You'd think a leader being assassinated would cause more unrest_ ," Mr Woolsey's voice now joined the discussion. " _Perhaps it would be wiser for us to depart before that happens. Cowen must have had supporters of his own who may retaliate_."

" _I agree with Dick_ ," General O'Neill replied and Teyla thought she saw a few smirks around her.

"We can't let Kolya get away with what he did to the Major," Lieutenant Ford objected from behind Teyla's shoulder.

" _If the Major is the only witness to Kolya's involvement, then I suggest you get off this rock as quickly as possible, Colonel_ ," General O'Neill suggested.

"I don't know how the Genii government works," Colonel Sumner looked towards Teyla, "but if we inform them of what Kolya's done maybe we can stop his rise to power."

Teyla considered that. "It is possible," she replied. "However, the political backlash on Atlantis may be significant."

"Kolya needs to be afraid of _our_ damn backlash," Colonel Sumner disagreed as he looked away. "I say we go tell them what he's done, General. We may not get the chance again if we just leave."

" _That's taking quite a risk, Colonel_ ," General O'Neill replied.

"No one takes one of our people and we just take it on the chin," Colonel Sumner stated angrily. "Take us to this Palace," he ordered the pilot.

Teyla watched the Colonel look back round at John and she saw John nod his gratitude. However, John's former delighted happiness at his rescue had disappeared into a dark angry frown.

She could not blame him.

Her own anger raged in her middle.

Kolya had dared to take John. She would ensure there would be repercussions for such an act!

00000

Seeal could barely remember running down these levels before, and she had hardly any memory of where she'd run now going in the opposite direction.

She just ran, clambering up fallen bits of Hive ceiling and wall, climbing broken areas of a wall, anything to keep going up. Up and up, and her eyes repeatedly falling to her pad, Oneakka's beacon now only one floor up.

Halling was with her the whole way, appearing uninjured from his fight with whatever the wraith shit that thing was that had been trying to kill him when she'd hurriedly skidded into that doorway.

As soon as the thing was confirmed dead though, she'd just started legging it back here.

She'd done what Oneakka needed her to do, and now she just had to get back up there to him.

"Status on the medic pod?" Halling called into his links, sounding as out of breath as her as he asked for yet another update from Inifee.

" _The Fleet are drawing the cruisers and remaining fighters away from the Hive_ ," Inifee reported. " _The bay I'm in is now empty from what we can see, and a medic pod is inbound_."

"Get it here fast," Seeal added into the conversation as she raced around a corridor corner. Fortunately, it appeared that all the surviving Wraith had evacuated so nothing was getting in her and Halling's way. It was just distance that was her enemy right now.

That and time.

"Is his life-sign still showing?" She asked Inifee.

" _Yes_ ," he answered her. " _Just_ ," He added though, his voice tense.

" _Once we're off the Hive,"_ Halling added from behind her as she slid to a halt below the hole she'd used to drop down from Oneakka's level. " _The Fleet need to secure the Hive, retrieve the alien Queen and the drive tech_ _if the Hive becomes structurally compromised_."

He had already given Inifee that order, but Seeal ignored the answer. She had dropped down through that small hole easily enough, but getting back up there was going to be a problem. It was too far away from the corridor walls for her to be able to part climb her way up there.

"Here," Halling nudged at her arm and she looked round to see him interlink his hands and hold them low. "I'll lift you up."

Oh yes, team work.

She set her boot in his linked hands and he lifted her. In fact the boost was stronger than she'd been expecting and the hole in the corridor ceiling raced towards her. She grabbed up at it, catching at one side with both hands, praying the edges weren't going to crumble or dissolve away.

It felt a secure hold though and, groaning with the exertion, she worked to pull herself up, feeling Halling's support under one of her boots. She got one elbow over the lip of the hole and then heaved her upper body up onto the new floor, and, still half hanging through the hole, she quickly looked both ways down the new corridor. No Wraith.

Getting her arms under her, she pulled up her lower half, rolling onto her side and then quickly onto her front as she reached back down through the hole. Reaching for Halling.

Halling jumped up and caught at her hand. It was only as she gripped a tight hold of his hand that she realised that she was going to have to pull up a lean but tall and strong Elite warrior. She should have boosted him up here.

But, Halling turned out to be a little lighter than she expected and he did most of the work. Using her arm rather like a rope, he got up high enough with her pulling him, to reach up and grab the edge of the hole himself.

She rolled back, tugging on his hand, helping haul him up.

Her shoulders and arms burned as she finally released Halling's hand, her body feeling exhausted in ways that surely had nothing to do with just the exertion.

Had a Wraith found Oneakka?

Were they going to be too late?

" _The medic pod is entering the fighter bay_ ," Inifee announced some good news in Seeal's ear as she scrambled upright.

Happy Halling would catch up with her, Seeal lifted her pad and turned, tracking the right direction to go.

"He's this way," she informed Halling as she sped forward, though she guessed she didn't need to tell him that since she was clearly already racing that way.

A rough distant sound echoed from somewhere behind and she looked worriedly over her shoulder as she ran.

"More structural collapse," Halling panted to her, just a few feet behind her already. "Which way ahead?"

Seeal looked forward again, there was a turning to the left or a sharp right turn. She was confused where she was, but a quick glance at the pad showed Oneakka's beacon not that far off to the left.

"This way," she instructed unnecessarily again as she headed to the left.

"Inifee, is the pod docked?" Halling asked over links.

" _Still entering the bay, Honoured Elite_ ," Inifee answered. " _And they still need to find a platform on your level that is stable from which to deploy_."

A small junction of corridors ahead and she finally recognised where they were, which was only confirmed by some of her own boot prints appearing around one corner. This was the way she'd run, the boot prints outlined in Oneakka's blood that she must have crouched in when she'd been by his side.

She raced around the corner and finally she could see him ahead.

He was where she had left him, but had rolled onto his back. That at least allowed her to see that his bloodied bandaged belly was rising and falling – he was still breathing.

Though it was fast and shallow breathing.

"Oneakka!" She called as she raced the last few feet to him.

He didn't respond, didn't look round.

His eyes were shut.

His face was deathly pale.

"By the Ancestors," she heard Halling gasp as they reached him.

She dropped down beside Oneakka, back in the pool of drying blood, and reached for his still and blood-streaked face. "Oneakka?" She slapped one of his cold cheeks. "Oneakka!" she shouted louder and slapped his cheek harder. He needed to be conscious. "Oneakka!"

His face twitched, his eyelids fluttering and he slowly opened his eyes.

"Oh no," she heard Halling utter from the right. He was knelt on the other side of Oneakka, and was looking under the blood-soaked bandages. He had a small case open on Oneakka's armour and was pulling things out of it. A medical kit presumably.

"I think it goes right through him," Seeal informed Halling and returned her attention to Oneakka's face.

His eyelids were lowering again. "Oneakka! You need to stay awake," she ordered him and slapped one of his cheeks again.

It was too cold.

So she pressed her hands to his cheeks instead, as if the warmth would somehow help the fact that he'd lost so much blood.

He coughed, the sound nasty and appearing painful, but it clearly brought him around some more.

She reached under his neck and lifted his head, helping keep his throat clear as he coughed again. She shuffled her knees together and angled them sideways, sliding her legs under his neck, and settled the back of his head onto her slanted lap.

He looked up and around with dazed, unfocused eyes.

Then he groaned loudly.

"I am so sorry, my friend," Halling said quickly, "but I need to seal the wound up some more."

Oneakka's head rested heavily against her legs, his eyes rolling up into his head again.

"Oneakka, focus!" She ordered him loudly, patting one of his cold cheeks again.

He frowned up at her, his eyes starting to focus and she saw the moment he recognised her.

"Halling!" He said urgently. "You have to save Halling!" He grabbed at her arm, his grip as tight as before.

"He's here," she told him. "He's safe. We saved him. He's okay."

Oneakka was panting, frowning, clearly confused that there had been a time delay since he'd last seen her.

"He's here," Seeal repeated, wiping at the drying blood across his cheek and forehead. "He's safe."

His face was so white, so cold. She's seen too people like this before...just before their end.

"You need to focus on staying awake," she told him.

"Halling," he gasped.

"I am here," Halling leant up by Seeal, moving so he was in Oneakka's view. "I am here, Oneakka."

Oneakka's gaze shifted to him, his blue eyes wide, and a heart-breaking relieved smile crossed his bloodied face.

She wanted to deny him that relief though, because she needed him to stay awake and stay focused and fighting.

"Que...eeen," Oneakka wheezed, his bloodied hand releasing her arm and reaching to Halling.

Halling grabbed at Oneakka's hand, clasping it tightly in his own. "We got it," Halling told him. "It's dead. We stopped the prophecy."

Oneakka gasped, his chest heaving against her. "It's over?"

"Yes," Halling told him, the word wavering with emotion. "Help is on its way, Oneakka."

But Oneakka's face was slackening, his gaze moving away from Halling, his head growing heavier on her lap.

"Hey!" Seeal reached in and slapped her hand against his cheek again. "No giving up. Stop it!"

Halling leant further over Oneakka as well. "You need to hold on, Oneakka. They are almost here."

Oneakka wasn't looking at either of them though; he looking up to the ceiling, his face softening. Looking peaceful.

Seeal could feel hot tears running down her face as she laid her hand on his chilled pale forehead. "Please don't do that," she begged him. "Please!"

"I hear him, Halling," Oneakka whispered.

0000

The relief was everything to him.

And Oneakka let it take him.

Let the flames finally rage in.

All the years of fighting, of the haunting ghosts, and it was easy to let go.

As the flames of the corridor rose up, filling his view of Halling and Seeal, the pain started slipping away.

And he heard the first echoing strikes of the hammer.

A forgotten sound from so long ago.

"I hear him, Halling," he whispered, the memories washing over him.

The strike rang out again, a hammer on anvil.

He remembered the sunlight streaking into Father's forge at the end the day, lighting up the light dust dancing in the air.

"Brother!" He heard Halling's call from somewhere. "Stay."

Oneakka blinked into the fading afternoon sunlight, Halling's face forming out of it.

A rush of love and relief coursed up through Oneakka, chasing away the pain and grief.

Halling was okay.

It was okay now.

He heard the hammer strike again, the sharp metallic sound warm and echoing.

A soft, gentle touch brushed across his face, drawing his attention. He looked through the forge's evening sunlight, seeing it bounce off Glisi snow around Raven.

He reached up towards her face, some of her hair hanging around her like the tall trees of her world.

He felt the touch of the soft tendrils of her raven black hair, the tight hold of Halling's hand...and the field appeared.

...

He dropped his hand from the tall grasses where he sat hiding behind them, watching the older children practicing, wrestling, and laughing in the training field. He was still too young, too small to join in.

One day he would be able to though. One day he would be big enough to join in the festival fights.

The sun cut low and sharp across the training field and he watched as one of the large sparkling insects danced across the tips of the waving tall grasses in front of him.

Then he heard footfalls behind him, moving closer; he'd been found out.

He looked up and round, the late sun shining around the tall towering figure, so large and strong that he blocked the sunset from Oneakka's eyes.

"There you are," Father's voice arrived, his deep and warm tone not sounding angry.

"I just wanted to watch the training," Oneakka explained quickly.

Father chuckled, the sound strong and rich as he moved to sit down next to Oneakka.

"But you are no longer a small child, Oneakka," Father stated as he sat, his arm against Oneakka's and the long forgotten features of Akane of Ugun sharpening into view.

Oneakka looked away, back at the grasses, but they were no longer towering over him and were instead only as high as his knees.

And off across the field, the older children were gone, and instead a family were dancing and playing across the Ugun field in their place.

His mother was leading them.

His brothers and sisters as he remembered them: young and free.

He watched his eldest sister, Minoru, dancing with mother, their laughing delight audible across the distance. The twins Arthit and Klahan were chasing each other; Aimi was giggling as Huan swung her around. Suko and Zopi were pretending to dodge and wrestle with each other, and quiet Pema, the sister who was closest to his age, was waving to him.

Oneakka lifted his hand and waved back.

Mother turned towards him, her long braided hair flying around her, and she beckoned to him.

The heavy gentle weight of his Father's hand settled on Oneakka's shoulder, loving and comforting with that simple touch. "You have done enough fighting for now, Oneakka."

Oneakka turned to look at his father and saw the soft, kind smile. The sunset shone bright around the blacksmith Akane. From traders, Oneakka had learnt that his father had been highly respected among their people, a skilled blacksmith and willing to trade with any who came through the Portal. He had been father to nine, and husband to Mother, Alcinoe of the lineage of Akireu.

Who had been killed by the Wraith, all their people destroyed in one strike.

Father's hand tightened gently on Oneakka's shoulder. "That was not your fault," he said softly.

His eyes were bright blue; how had Oneakka forgotten that he had the same eyes as his father?

"It was no one's fault," Father added. "It is time to let that burden go, my son."

Tears ran down Oneakka's face, dripping off his chin onto his favourite blue shirt from his youth. He looked down at the top, seeing the remembered woven detailing and loving attention Mother had made it with. It had only fit him when he had been small, the top long gone, but it felt right to wear it again.

He looked back towards Mother and the rest of his family, all looking towards him, all happy.

All waiting for him.

00000  
TBC


	39. The Supreme Leader

**Note:** Thank you so much for the rush of such kind reviews to the last two chapters. I will hopefully get the next chapter after this posted quickly too, as its going to be my birthday on Wednesday, so I want to get these two out for certain before I get 'distracted' with fun birthday stuff.  
So here is chapter 39, which may hold yet another tiny cliff hanger or two...maybe.

00000

 **Chapter 39 – The Supreme Leader**

Seeal gripped the side of the metal stretcher, helping the four person medical team lift it over the latest gap in the Hive's corridor floor. Alliance soldiers, escorting the way, reached in to help each time, lifting the heavy stretcher with its flashing medical boxes and screens set up around Oneakka's head.

It had taken an age for the medical team to reach her and Halling sat beside Oneakka's unconscious form.

She had sat through that endless waiting in complete silence, listening to Halling's tears and whispered pleas for Oneakka to stay with them, and watching each of Oneakka's breaths.

In the space at the base of his neck where the neckline of his armour allowed her to set her fingertips against his chest, she had lived through each in breath as Oneakka's chest rose and then each out breath as his chest relaxed.

Then through the excruciating pauses between each breath when she had held anxiously still, waiting to see if he would breathe in again.

And when his chest had lifted each time, the pattern had started over - the rise, the fall, and another aching pause.

The time had passed only by those individual cycles of his breaths; each one possibly the last.

Through that, she'd somehow lost all awareness or fear of the fact that she was sitting on the floor of a Hive and she had just witnessed each breath and listened to Halling's tearful whispers.

And then the medical team had smashed into that intimate space, quickly pushing her and Halling aside as they started working on Oneakka with rapid efficiency. Knelt close by, she'd watched them fit an oxygen mask over his face, inject him with several things, and then lift him up onto this stretcher.

Then the mad rush back through the hallways had begun.

Escorted on all sides by Alliance Military soldiers, the way was safe and the path cleared of dead Wraith, but the damage on the Hive had slowed things. There were holes in the floors, partially collapsed sections of wall, and the never-ending sense of time slipping away.

All she had been able to do was focus on helping push the stretcher, running along at the back of the thing, her attention shifting constantly between the structure of the corridor and Oneakka's pale, unmoving face. The monitors set around him meant nothing to her, but none of their displays had changed significantly, and there was still a fine mist inside the oxygen mask that reassured her that he was still breathing.

Occasionally a medic would reach in and press something to the side of Oneakka's throat only to then withdraw it again; the result presumably reassuring.

Nothing felt reassuring to Seeal.

It felt like it was taking a lifetime.

Perhaps Oneakka's lifetime.

The latest gap in the floor traversed, she adjusted her grip on the back railing of the stretcher and fixed her eyes back on Oneakka as the mad rush forward resumed.

He was still breathing.

But he was as pale as the coldest morning snow.

Then, beyond his unmoving face, she spied a dark doorway at the far end of the corridor ahead. And getting closer, she could see the desperately welcome sight of the Wraith fighter bay through it.

They were almost there.

He just needed to hold on.

She locked her eyes on the fast approaching doorway, seeing more of the bay revealed with each passing hurried second.

And then they were through it, bursting out into the cooler air of the bay.

There were more soldiers here, and off to the right the opalescent shape of an Alliance medic pod.

She'd heard about these specialist ships, seen schematics even, but she'd never seen one in the flesh. Small emergency medical response ships, they were essentially mobile medical bays, whose outer hull could be altered to be either pure black for flying through space, or this opalescent shade for atmosphere descent. Though only big enough to fit no more than ten people, the ships were just the right size to fly through a Portal.

As Oneakka's stretcher was turned around a sharp right turn, following the narrow walkway along the wall of the bay, she saw the back of the medic pod opening up. Inside the pod everything was the same strange pinkish white colour as the outside, the walls dotted with monitors and there were various tubes and unidentifiable things hanging from the ceiling ready for use.

Rising up from the floor of the pod there were two cradles, one of which held an empty stretcher and the other cradle stood ready to receive this one.

In a rushing fast push, she helped shove the stretcher up into the back of the pod and into the waiting cradle.

As soon as the stretcher locked loudly into place, the atmosphere shifted instantly into fast medical efficiency. Medical words were flowing back and forth as the medics stood on either side of Oneakka, the four of them working together. One was hooking him up to various new tubes, another was pulling down several of the hanging lines above and she watched another inject Oneakka's closest arm.

Keeping out the way as they worked, Seeal kept close to Halling's side, trusting him to know where best to stand. Her backside met the empty stretcher behind her and she looked round to the left to see the back of the pod was almost closed. The Alliance soldiers were still outside, presumably getting off the Hive some other way, and she heard Inifee discussing something with someone in her ear piece.

She just ignored all the noise though, instead she watched the medics' hands flowing over Oneakka.

They had already pulled his body armour off his chest, the brown breastplate set down on the floor without further interest. She looked down at his favourite armour, the crack in the base of it obvious and the entire thing was coated in his dried blood.

"Wound goes right through," one medic's voice rose a little higher over the others, drawing her attention back to the work. "Sterilising now."

"I've got elevated breath sounds and rapid pulse," another reported. It wasn't clear if any one of the four person team was the lead of the treatment.

The pod shifted under Seeal's boots and she reached out to steady herself at the abrupt movement. Her hand gripped a tight hold of Halling's warm arm next to her and she pressed her backside against the empty stretcher behind her.

"The pod will dock in a Fleet ship," Halling was suddenly telling her, "which will jump us to the nearest Portal and the pod will go through it back to the Training Facility."

Seeal snapped her eyes up at him. "They can't treat him on the Fleet ship?" Surely the Alliance Military Fleet could treat injured soldiers!

"The Facility has the very best of surgical healers," Halling replied, his eyes noticeably red. "And they'll have his saved blood stock ready."

Blood stock.

Seeal looked back round at Oneakka's deathly white face and chest. They were going to need a lot of blood for him.

"Holding position outside Hive," a disembodied voice announced loudly from above. It was presumably the pod's pilot sat in a small compartment separated at the front of the ship. "Awaiting decontamination."

One of the medics jabbed her elbow against something by the stretcher. "Patient prepared. Decontam proceeding." Then she looked round. "You both need to stand apart, arms out."

Halling pulled his arm from Seeal's hand and she looked round, seeing him show her how to stand, arms held out from her body. She moved away from the stretcher behind her, held her arms out like him, and saw that all the medics were doing the same.

"Decontam proceeding," the medic announced with another tap of her elbow and abruptly the light changed. A strange iliac coloured light blazed inside the pod, leaving weird greenish shadows across Seeal's vision, and then the air temperature started abruptly dropping, falling so cold that even she felt the urge to shiver. Her breath created large iliac coloured clouds in front of her face and she could see the medics and Halling visibly shivering. It was presumably all intended to kill Wraith cells or spores that might have gotten onboard with them, but she hadn't realised that the Alliance used cold rather than intense heat as part of the process.

And then, fortunately, the iliac light died away and she felt a burst of warm air around her, the clouds of her breaths dissipating.

"Decontam complete," the medic shouted this time. "Go! Go!"

The pod shuddered under Seeal's boots again as she blinked her eyes rapidly into the normal coloured light and focused back on Oneakka. They had rolled him onto his side now and the true extent of his shocking wound, gaping just below and to the right of his bellybutton, was horrifically obvious. A medic sprayed a last jet of water over the wound, the blood chasing away, and he began smearing a clear gel over the wound while another medic started placing small metal discs around the site.

A sharp bleep echoed suddenly through the air and all the medics snapped their attention to one monitor.

"Elevated heart reading," one explained.

"Breath sounds fading," another responded.

"Blood in?"

"One stock in, yes."

"Let's turn him."

Seeal watched as the four medics shifted Oneakka quickly over onto his back again with ridiculous ease considering how large a male he was.

"Hypovolemic shock," one stated. "I need more fluids."

"Pressure is still dropping."

The urgency in their fast exchanged words told her more than any of the new bleeps and flashing lights around Oneakka.

"Give him another dose of the 7-20," one ordered and a tube was pulled down from the ceiling and pressed against Oneakka's arm.

"Increasing oxygen mix."

"Give him the 6-20."

A larger tube was pulled down from the ceiling and this time it was pressed right into his chest, right by his Ugun glyph.

She felt Halling shifting next to her, his anxiety spiking through her as his arm brushed hers.

"Pressure dropping, I'm losing-"

A loud continuous bleep sounded.

"Another 6-20. Get shock ready."

Seeal watched in dazed deafness as they moved rapidly around him, medical hands pressing hard on his chest, trying to restart his heart.

She had never prayed; to who or what would she pray to?

But she found herself whispering one word over and over again as she watched.

Halling's word.

Stay.

000000

The new uniform felt crisp and immaculate under Kolya's hands as he smoothed it down. It smelt clean and fresh, newly tailored for him for this very day.

He drew in the scent of it, along with that ecstatic scent of the homeworld in the air around him, despite being several floors underground.

Though, like all his people, he had been born in an underground city, he had regularly worked on the surface and on missions off-world, so he could appreciate the scent of the homeworld's air more than most. The scent of freedom.

One which he'd missed so much that he had almost misted up within the hood of the thick coat he had worn when he'd snuck back here through the Portal only hours ago. Assisted by those most loyal, he'd had no difficulty returning in the end, despite everything that had happened and the years away. But, he'd had no time to draw in the experience any further.

Now though, he drank it in.

The scent of home, of victory, and his crisp new uniform – was there any headier experience?

He brushed his hands down the new sleeves, smoothing out the creases, and then tugged on the end of the cuffs, settling the fabric into place. It was far from the well worn comfort of the three threadbare uniforms he'd worn these past years, but it would not do for him to be seen by his people as anything less than a Supreme Leader.

Though, clearly Cowen's tastes had shifted into the far more extravagant over the last years while Kolya had been away. The mirror in which he checked the fit of his new uniform was a large oval and ornate thing, and, to the right, Cowen's large desk was gilded in gold. The carpet under Kolya's feet was indecently thick to the point of disgust, and the walls had elaborately nonsensical designs painted across them in further gold detailing.

How much of his people's wealth had been discarded to such luxuries? It was not the Genii way.

General Maloo appeared in the reflection, standing at taunt and tall attention. "Leader Kolya," he began.

"Yes, General?" Kolya replied as he tugged down the lower hem of the new jacket.

"Pranos has reported in again," Maloo stated. "Sheppard has been rescued."

Kolya lowered his hands from his uniform and let out an amused sigh. The man had an uncanny ability to avoid his own end.

Since Pranos' initial report that Sheppard had managed to escape his prison cell - having apparently chosen to work with the Wraith to do so - Kolya had suspected this outcome.

Once again Sheppard had displayed his ability to be unpredictable.

The Wraith's decision though was far more surprising.

He had not predicted that.

Maloo held still in the reflection, the unemotional expression and unmoving attention always present with the latest of those who had joined Kolya's mission.

"Who rescued him?" Kolya asked, curious at the detail.

"We have reports of a possible Ancestral ship landing outside the bunker," Maloo replied. "It is currently unaccounted for," he frowned, his first display of displeasure.

Or was that displeasure because Sheppard had been escaped? Kolya turned from his reflection and considered the General. The man had lost considerable face when he had lost the Political Marriage to Sheppard's last minute counter-offer, but Maloo had never admitted as much. He had already been persuaded to join Kolya's secret plans prior to that defeat, invited by Maloo's old friend, and former Ambassador, Hulte. However, Maloo had not agreed with Hulte's turn of loyalties and had willingly reported them to Kolya.

"Any update on Hulte's whereabouts?" Kolya asked, watching Maloo with casual curiosity.

"No further reports. We believe he is still on Athos," Maloo replied without flinch or frown.

Kolya nodded. "He'll no doubt request asylum from Torren."

"Should that be dealt with?" Maloo asked.

"No," Kolya ordered him quickly. "Killing Hulte under Leader Torren's nose would only serve to incriminate us." He turned back to the mirror. "And draw further wrath from Elite Emmagan. I assume she was present for the rescue?"

"Yes," Maloo replied, his tone still not betraying any hint of annoyance or resentment towards his almost-wife. "And another Elite warrior with her."

Kolya nodded as he ran his hands down his jacket, smoothing out the crisp new fabric again. He took a breath. "And what of Dahlia, Sora, and Tyrus?"

"We have found no sign of them," Maloo reported the regretful conclusion. "Dahlia apparently left her lab in the company of Sora ostensibly for a meal together, but neither have been seen since.

Kolya nodded. Ladon had admirably seen to his sister's safety before he had come here.

Though, Kolya could admit to himself that he had been somewhat relieved that Sora had not been here as well. He had regretted the moment he had learnt how close she had grown to Ladon, the fact having sealed her fate along with Ladon's betrayal. That she had not been here at least meant that Kolya had not had to kill her. Yet.

He did not look forward to the day when he would have to remove one of his own protégés. It was likely that she would correctly guess what had truly happened to Ladon, but that would have to be dealt with at a later point.

For now, he had won his victory. After all these many years of planning, even from before his excommunication, it had all been worth this moment.

"What of Pranos?" Maloo asked out of the reflection. "He sent his apologies for failing you."

Kolya switched his attention back to Maloo in the mirror. "Are they headed down to the underground city as planned?"

"Yes, they are headed to our first base, as agreed."

"Good," Kolya nodded.

"Sheppard and those from Atlantis have seen Pranos' face," Maloo noted. "Should we deal with that problem?"

Kolya turned back round at Maloo's blunt and almost amusing suggestion to the problem.

"No, General. Pranos and the others in his team knew that they will have to spend the rest of their days living underground away from sight of any off-worlders. It is the risk they accepted when they volunteered for the mission. They have served me, and our people, well and there has been enough Genii blood spilt today."

His eyes moved to the two large bloodstains across the excessively dense carpet.

"And what of the Ancestral ship?" Maloo asked as movement registered just outside the open doors of the office. Kolya watched Pendrick stride in and stop at straight-backed attention.

"Let those from Atlantis depart as they need to," Kolya ordered as he smiled at Pendrick, his most loyal of defenders and good friend.

"Supreme Leader," Pendrick began with relish. "Commander General Reed has begun speaking with the people gathering outside."

"Good," Kolya nodded and glanced back at his reflection. He did not normally put much faith or preoccupation in his appearance, but today was a momentous day and there were cameras outside recording events for prosperity and transmission throughout the Alliance.

He turned from the reflection and padded across the disgusting carpet towards the door. "Pendrick, see that this carpet is pulled up as soon as possible."

"It will be done within moments, Supreme Leader," Pendrick promised as Kolya headed into the hallway outside the office.

The hallway walls were lined with his new personal guard. He knew all their names, as he had served alongside some of them and had helped train the rest. Any of the personal guard who had not been loyal, or would have been unhappy with Cowen's ousting, had been quietly and carefully reassigned over the last year by Commander General Reed.

As Kolya moved down the hallway, Pendrick and Maloo following behind him, he exchanged nods with all of the guard.

Two further stretches of corridor led to a sharp right turn towards a grand two storey flight of marble stairs.

There was much that Kolya disagreed with regarding Cowen's mindset, tactics, and cowardliness, but he had respected Cowen for building the powerful statement that was The Palace and for having lived below it. It was wise for the Supreme Leader to be concealed below ground in Kolya's opinion, it was just that Cowen had lied about that fact to the people that he found reprehensible. Cowen had lied to the Genii people about many things, but that would end after today.

For today though, certain lies were necessary to facilitate a peaceful change of power.

As he started up the broad and echoing steps, Pendrick moved in a little closer behind his right shoulder. "Did the General tell you that we suspect an Ancestral Ship from Atlantis is in the air somewhere over First City?" Pendrick asked with clear concern on the matter.

"Yes, he did," Kolya replied to his new Security Lead. "I suspect they will either leave quietly or be on their way here now."

"How should we deal with such an event?" Pendrick asked as, behind them, the personal guard were quietly following them up the wide steps.

"We will deal with it calmly," Kolya told him, "and in full view of the watching crowd."

"Understood," Pendrick replied with a clear smile in his voice.

"The Elite are with them," Maloo put in from behind Kolya's other shoulder.

"The Elite are toothless in the arena of politics," Kolya replied as the top of the steps started to appear.

The Supreme Leader's battalion were waiting up there for him, lining The Palace's entrance lobby and watching over Commander General Reed's announcement outside. Already Kolya could hear Reed's voice drifting in from outside through the open doorway out of The Palace.

"Major Sheppard could be a significant threat to you," Maloo put in.

"He can say what he wants, but he is a political player now as well," Kolya replied as he climbed up the last steps. "We simply keep to the agreed story. It was unfortunate to anger Elite Emmagan, but there is little she can do as long as we do not in any way touch her husband again."

With Sheppard's survival, Elite Emmagan would know for certain that he had been behind the kidnapping of the Major, but Kolya had made very certain that there was no other physical evidence anywhere of his involvement. It would be Sheppard's word against his, and in the political arena of the Alliance, that was a verbal war that most would not be interested in for very long. The Elite would no doubt make loud and angry sounds, but they had more than enough to focus on following the reports of a new type of Hive terrorising the Alliance. His political position would soon be forgotten as an unimportant issue for them.

"Just ensure that, if they do come here, that they land outside for all to see them," Kolya instructed as he stopped in the bright clean marble lobby. It was a tall and wide space, the front of which was entirely windows. He took in the beautiful sight of the blue Genii sky shining in through the top windows, the tall elegant stone buildings taking up the middle windows, and the lowest showed the backs of some of the battalion lining the windows outside and Commander General Reed's back at the podium as he spoke to their people.

The crowd outside had been seeded thickly with loyalists from within First City and many more in from Second City, but news of Cowen's end had already drawn a larger crowd. Cowen's excessive hand of late had truly made him an enemy of the people.

They needed someone to believe in.

To be the leader they wanted.

He was happy to be that person.

And he had made sure that the idea of him as an alternative to Cowen had been seeded into minds for some time now. His people needed to believe in themselves again, and he would represent that for them.

"...those responsible have unfortunately fled," Reed's voice drifted into the lobby. "But they will all be brought to justice and pay for their cruel and evil actions this day."

The crowd applauded.

Kolya smiled towards the Reed's back, the highest General of the homeworld. He suspected that there were few who had known that Cowen's apparently most loyal and highly decorated Commander General had actually been secretly helping Kolya plot the man's end.

It had been the Commander General who had been the one to initially warn Kolya of Cowen's intentions to kill him following the failure in capturing Atlantis. If it had not been for Reed, Kolya might not have escaped into his excommunication. Reed had also helped plant the idea of Cowen's lies about his death into the ears of the most powerful in the military ranks. It had been through Reed that Kolya had been able to persuade and enable his complete takeover of the military ranks, and then the people's growing dissatisfaction had been an easier second task. Though it had taken time to find the right way to defeat Cowen, and the plan had gone through various incarnations along the way, the day was finally here.

He was home and he was victorious.

"Once they are captured," Reed continued to the crowd outside, "we will also be charging them with the illegal incarceration of Commander Kolya. I am pleased to report that, despite his long incarceration by Cowen, the Commander is in excellent health and was honoured by the Generals' request that he assume the duties of Supreme Leader immediately."

A cheer went up at that, the sound growing louder as the applause and reaction spread among the crowd. Those seeded in the large assembly would ensure the right responses were accelerated through the crowds for the cameras to see and hear.

For this transmission was already being sent out across the news links to all the worlds of the Alliance. It was important that he be seen as accepted by his people before any political reactions from elsewhere in the Alliance arrived.

He shifted his gaze back up to the higher windows, seeking through the blue sky for any hint of an Ancestral ship approaching. Of course the ships used by Atlantis had cloaking shields, but he suspected the ship would be visible when it arrived. For now though, he saw no hint in the beautiful afternoon sky.

"I am pleased to present to you," Reed's voice rose, drawing Kolya's attention back to him, "our lost brother, now returned to us, Supreme Leader Kolya."

The crowd applauded.

Kolya tugged down the hem of his new uniform jacket once more and strode forward, moving through the open Palace entrance and out into full view of his people.

The roar of cheers rose higher as he lifted one hand and moved up towards the podium. The large military courtyard set a few feet below the podium was fit to bursting with people and, from the buildings surrounding the courtyard, he could see people hanging out of every window and looking down from the rooftops.

Hands waved, people cheered and clapped, and he smiled widely for all to see.

As he stepped up to the podium, Reed turned to him and held out his arm. Kolya clasped Reed's forearm in his hand and leant into a half embrace. It was important for everyone to see that the military had truly accepted him, but it was also a truly felt moment as well.

He pulled back and exchanged a smile with Reed. Reed squeezed his forearm before releasing him and then indicated the podium for him as the Commander General stepped back.

Kolya moved up to the audio pickup and looked out across the sea of faces, all staring up at him, and he waited for the noise to subside a little.

"As you can no doubt tell," he told them, his voice electronically echoing louder across the courtyard, "reports of my demise were greatly exaggerated."

The crowd laughed.

"It is good to be free again," he said. "To walk among you all again, even if this day is shrouded by the horrendous act of an assassination on our home soil." The noise across the courtyard lowered a little, everyone all too interested in the macabre details of Cowen's end.

"These past two years have been dark days for us all," he continued soberly. "However, Cowen's rule, that was both aggressive and weak in equal parts, is now at an end. Though I know that we all regret the actions of one of Cowen's own in the assassination, that act has enabled all of us new freedom. Though one man acted, it was from a rebellion that you all started in your protests and questions of Cowen's excessive authority. For we are Genii, and we do not surrender to force and we do not bow to ancient gods or monsters."

Cheers roared up at the old well-known phrase, told to all Genii children.

"We are one of the founder worlds of the Alliance," he continued louder. "We are a vital force within the defiance we helped lead against the oppression of the Wraith. And today, we are freed again from the oppression of one man and his domination."

More cheers rose into the air.

"When I was freed, I was led into this grand palace behind me, which is a most victorious example of Genii strength and skill, but I have seen the extravagance and wealth that Cowen used to decorate his own living quarters hidden _underneath_ this towering stone Palace."

Some booed that revelation and it rippled out across the crowd.

"While you lived in the light, facing the old fears of the Wraith, he lived underground in the dark, surrounded by gold and wasted wealth," Kolya continued. "I promise you that all that wealth will be removed from the Palace and be used for the good of all of us."

The crowd roared in heady delight.

"We will ensure that every Genii, whether living underground or on the surface, are equally protected from the Wraith and from any who would try to enforce their will upon us."

The cheers and applause rose even higher now, the elation spreading among the crowd to a constant pitch of celebration.

Kolya smiled out over the cheering people, making sure not to look straight into the cameras recording the speech, he was instead watching his people. But a little needed to be added to ensure he was not seen as a threat to others.

"We are committed to our founding and active participation in the Alliance," he added, lifting his voice higher over the cheering. "In the High Council, in the Military Council, in the Military Fleet, and in all the other ways we fight in the battle against the Wraith. In the ore we provide for the metals that are forged into battleships, and the harvests that help fill the bellies of Alliance warriors. We will once again celebrate that we are a beating heart of the Alliance."

As the roars rose again, Reed shifted up to his side.

Kolya leant away from the audio pick up on the podium.

"The Atlantis ship is inbound, uncloaked," Reed reported quietly.

Kolya nodded calmly, so all would see that nothing was wrong. "Direct them to land over there," he indicated the raised platform to one side of the Palace's entrance. It was designed for military ships to land in an emergency, but it would work well as a platform to meet Sheppard and the Elite in full view of the crowd and the cameras.

Reed nodded and moved away. Kolya turned back to his people and lifted both his hands requesting silence.

The cheering dropped quickly, all eyes and ears curious at the whispered discussion.

"I am allowed now to report to you that, unfortunately, I was not the only captive held by Cowen. We have learnt that, in recent days, Cowen had the audacity to capture the Lantean soldier, Major Sheppard, husband to one of the greatest Elite warriors."

The crowd reacted in predicted surprise. There were loud boos and shouts.

"However, I can confirm that Atlantis, along with our Honoured Elite, have successfully freed Major Sheppard."

The crowd cheered, while, in the far distance, Kolya could now see the approaching dark dot of the Atlantis Ancestral ship.

"Commander General Reed has just informed me that Atlantis and the Elite are inbound here now," Kolya pointed up to the sky where the Ancestral ship was fast taking shape.

The entire vast crowd looked up and round.

Kolya stepped away from the podium, Reed and Pendrick falling in beside him as he headed towards the raised platform. The personal guard had already moved ahead, encircling the platform and one soldier was waving in the Ancestral ship.

"If things do not go to plan?" Reed asked as they walked, both of them keeping their expressions calm, even pleased.

"They will not risk doing anything publically," Kolya replied.

Most of the Genii hadn't seen an Ancestral ship before, so all eyes were fixed up on the ship with unhidden awe as it paused in the sky, turned round to face the other way and then began lowering in an impressive vertical descent to the platform.

The air stirred wild and rough around Kolya as the ship landed, its back hatch starting to open.

Kolya moved forward, Reed and Pendrick with him as he headed up the small number of steps onto the platform.

The ship's hatch was just touching the platform as Kolya turned into view of the back of the Ancestral ship, to see a very crowded group of faces looking out at him from inside the packed craft.

They were all noticeably armed with their dangerous Earth weapons, but Kolya's attention was drawn instantly to Sheppard, stood at the front of them all.

Sheppard's eyes locked onto Kolya as he strode out and down the back hatch of the ship.

Sheppard was has he had used to be – unaffected by the Wraith feedings.

Kolya controlled his shocked reaction and instead looked out to his right, where his people were watching with wide fascinated eyes. He indicated the approaching Major, and then, a pace behind the Major, Elite Emmagan appeared and the crowd cheered even louder.

From what Kolya had seen of the news links and intel reports recently, Sheppard and Elite Emmagan had become the subject of much attention within the Alliance. An Alliance crowd could always be trusted to be fascinated and excited at the sight of an Elite warrior, especially one as famous as Emmagan, but clearly his people were especially delighted to see the two of them together in the flesh.

However, clearly Emmagan was not interested in the appreciative crowd, for her glare was fixed on him with near murderous intent.

He bowed his head respectfully to her as she approached him.

Behind her, two other men had followed, one a large Elite warrior and the other was dressed in the uniform of Atlantis. Kolya couldn't recall the Elite warrior's name, but recalled that he was also Athosian.

Kolya switched his attention back to Sheppard who was headed directly towards him, the man's expression almost as fierce as his wife's deadly glare.

Reed shifted his shoulder a little into Sheppard's path as the Lantean man arrived in front of Kolya, stopping only a short threatening distance away.

"Kolya," Sheppard practically growled.

"Major Sheppard," Kolya greeted him loudly and with a smile. "It is good to see that you too survived Cowen's imprisonment."

Sheppard frowned at that, his face twisted into a picture of complete disbelief. "Cowen?! That's the story you're going with here?"

"I was just explaining to those watching, and those watching through the recording devices, that you too were also a victim of Cowen's lust for power."

Sheppard glanced towards the watching audience, as if only just realising they were there, and the crowd cheered instantly at his attention. Sheppard's face pulled into a slightly awkward smile.

A group of younger female Genii stood near the front were clearly audible in their screaming pleasure at seeing him.

Sheppard looked away from the audience with a frown.

"Perhaps we should discuss this inside," Elite Emmagan stated from Sheppard's side.

Kolya turned his attention to her. "No, I think out here is just fine."

The other Lantean male moved up to Sheppard's other side, crowding in closer than necessary and his glare hard. Kolya turned his gaze on the man, recognising him now from surveillance images. Colonel Sumner, the military Lead of Atlantis.

Kolya had not met the man before, since the Colonel had not been in Atlantis when the great storm had hit the city when Kolya had led his strike team into the city. Kolya had always wondered how the military man had taken that.

He considered the man in the flesh now, impressed by the clear military intensity and strong fierce determination in his level angry gaze.

"I was just telling my people how I have also been a captive of Cowen, having just been released after his assassination," Kolya supplied them with the official story they were going to have to accept.

"Your lies will not work on us," Elite Emmagan was the one to reply as she stepped further forward, her dark eyes drilling into him as she moved into his personal space.

He was aware of Pendrick and Reed tensing slightly, shifting into defensiveness.

Kolya simply smiled, after all it was important that this discussion appear friendly for those watching, and, besides, there was nothing Atlantis or the Elite could do now.

"You think you can take my husband, declare war on Atlantis, and not insult the Elite with this act?" Emmagan demanded.

Kolya lowered his head a fraction, appearing slightly subservient to the Elite warrior. "That is quite an accusation you are making, Honoured Elite," he replied gently. "Do you have any evidence to prove such charges?"

She glared at him. "My husband _saw_ you," she stated, but he could already see that she knew she had no physical evidence. He had made sure as much.

"From what I understand from my Generals here," Kolya replied, shifting his gaze to Sheppard who was stood that little bit too close, his breathing hard, "Major Sheppard has been through a horrific ordeal, so it is entirely understandable that it has left him a little confused."

"Confused?!" Sheppard objected instantly.

"Incarceration and torture can do awful things to a mind," Kolya replied to Sheppard. "I have been through the same myself as a prisoner of Cowen for this last year, held under this very building."

"That's bullshit," Sheppard accused angrily, jabbing a pointed finger at him.

"We know that you have not been under this Palace for the last year, Kolya," Emmagan stated.

Kolya turned his gaze back to her. "Again I have to ask, Honoured Elite, what evidence do you have of that exactly?"

"We know you worked with Iketani on Dreamstation," Emmagan replied.

"I am afraid you are mistaken," Kolya replied calmly. "I did pass through Dreamstation when I was initially forced to flee from my people by Cowen's threat on my life. Perhaps the Elite woman was on Dreamstation at the same time I was there. I was able to survive outside the border for almost a year before Cowen's strike team captured me and brought me back here. In fact," he pretended to consider a thought, "now I think of it, I seem to recall seeing the Elite traitor here with Cowen during my imprisonment. She must have been working with Cowen."

"We have images of you on Dreamstation far more recent than that," Emmagan replied.

"Really?" Kolya asked, surprised despite himself. "I am not sure who provided those to you, but I can assure you they are clearly from before my incarceration."

He had not known that the Elite had used surveillance in Dreamstation; as far as he was aware, they hadn't taken any interest in the station until after Iketani' unfortunate choice to try and assassinate Torren and his family. After that, Kolya had made sure never to return to the station.

"I would be very interested to see those doctored images and help you find those lying to you about their origin," Kolya continued to Emmagan. "I am sure that an Alliance Court of Law would also help us find those responsible."

Emmagan narrowed her eyes at him.

It was risky to push her, since there was the possibility that she wasn't going to pay any mind to the political and legal ramifications of bringing such public criminal charges against him. For anything the Elite had on Dreamstation would, if made public, only result in interesting questions about why they had been allowing known criminals to continue their work there in the first place. Why had the Elite, hunters of Wraith, been spending their time and resources spying on a Human station outside Alliance space? And how widespread was the knowledge within the Alliance that there even been an Elite traitor? He suspected that was something they would not be eager to make public. These were the kinds of questions that were clearly going through Emmagan's mind as she stared at him.

Along with an assessment of the ramifications on her if she decided to kill him here and now.

He simply watched her, waiting for her to reach her own inevitable conclusion.

She was far more petite than he had realised, but her presence was far bigger. He could see Torren clearly in her features and in the fast working of her mind as she considered the political implications of any action. She was her father's daughter far more than Kolya had expected.

But, unlike the overtly peaceful and calm Torren, a clear edge of violence hung around her.

Reed shifted in his place, not moving close to her, but reminding her of his presence.

Kolya held her gaze.

She would not risk attacking him, especially not in full view of all to see.

She had nothing to use again him.

He saw her reach that ultimate conclusion too. She took a deep breath and let it out, her cheeks flexing as she clenched her jaw.

She took a fraction of a step backwards, the threat of aggression sliding away with that simple move. Her eyes stayed on him though, and he knew, without doubt, that she would be watching him closely for the rest of his days.

Though, considering the usual lifespan of an Elite warrior, it was more than likely that he would far outlive her.

"I will not forget this," she stated. "And the Elite will not let this pass without consequences, Kolya."

" _Supreme Leader_ Kolya," Reed corrected from her side.

Emmagan snapped her deathly glare round at the Commander General.

"And I am addressed as ' _Honoured Elite'_ ," she retaliated.

Reed nodded his head a fraction, his eyes lowering, but his point had been bravely made.

"I understand your anger, Honoured Elite," Kolya told her calmly, her dark eyes returning to him. "But, rest assured, Cowen is dead so there is no longer any threat to your Honoured Husband."

She narrowed her eyes at him again, clearly having under stood his point. He did not need to retaliate against Sheppard any further anyway; the Major had fulfilled his usefulness. This victory over the man alone made up for the bullet wound that still faintly ached when the weather was damp. Though, being back here on the homeworld, that would hopefully be a rarity now.

Kolya slid his gaze to Sheppard's glare.

Sheppard was staring almost as aggressively as his wife, his fists clearly tight at his sides, but if he had intended to do something, he would have done it by now. He was simply raging against the reality that he had lost.

Kolya suspected that Iketani would have loved this moment of victory over Emmagan and her alien husband.

"You have not heard the last of this, Kolya," Emmagan threatened, clearly choosing not to use his new title.

He looked back at her. "I would have thought you would be pleased to have your husband returned to you so clearly unharmed, so you can return to your good work defending the Alliance from the Wraith. I am sure the Elite do not need to concern themselves with the simple changes of planetary governments." Her nostrils flared at the subtle insult. "Or have the Elite entered into politics while I have been imprisoned?" He added, tilting his head towards her.

Sheppard shifted, one of his hands lifting, his mouth opening to deliver some choice angry words, but Colonel Sumner moved forward instead, partly blocking the Major as the mature man leaned into Kolya's space.

Kolya met the Colonel's eyes, easily seeing the wealth of experience and determination in them.

"Supreme Leader," Sumner started politely but the tone was like granite. "You can have your political conversations here in the Alliance about what you've done today all you like. But I don't give a _crap_ about Alliance politics," Sumner stated.

"Colonel Sumner, I presume?" Kolya interrupted the threat.

The Colonel didn't answer though, which only confirmed a great deal about him. He instead leaned a little further forward, well into Kolya's personal space.

Kolya lifted his chin, but refused to step back. It did him no harm for those looking on to see someone from Atlantis behaving threatening; in fact it could be useful politically. However, in this current moment, the Colonel clearly really didn't care about such things, and that could be a real threat.

"You took one of my people," Sumner stated simply. "You declared war on Atlantis with that move and we won't forget that. We may not be able to do anything against you today, but I swear, if you, or any of your lackeys, touch one of my people again – or if Major Sheppard even gets so much as a nasty cold while he's in Alliance territory – I will _kill_ you."

Kolya held the man's glare, believing every word of the threat.

This wasn't a man of politics and arguments. He was a man of action and Kolya respected that

"Do we understand each other?" Colonel Sumner asked.

Kolya smiled back at him and his frank honesty. "Indeed we do, Colonel Sumner, and I suggest that it is time that you take your people back to Atlantis and off Genii soil. And if you bring a cloaked ship into any Genii territory again, there will be significant retaliation."

Sumner's threatening eyes hardened, but the message was clearly received. The lines had been drawn.

Sumner held the staring match a beat longer and then abruptly turned away. "Major," he commanded Sheppard as he marched back towards the Ancestral ship. "We're leaving this shithole."

Kolya ignored the insult and turned his attention back to Sheppard and his obvious fury.

Sheppard didn't look like he was anywhere near ready to retreat with his superior.

He didn't want to admit his clear defeat.

Kolya held Sheppard's gaze, the man's face flushed with impotent rage.

On Sheppard's other side, Emmagan turned to follow Colonel Sumner. "We must leave," she told her husband.

Kolya smiled at Sheppard. "Thank you for visiting me on my first day as Supreme Leader," he said loudly for those watching to hear. "I am so very pleased to see that you too have survived Cowen's heavy hand."

Sheppard's eyes narrowed. "This isn't over," he threatened.

He had lost.

Kolya smiled at him. "I would be disappointed if it were."

00000  
TBC


	40. The Stars

**Part** : 40/43

00000

 **Chapter 40 – The Stars**

John could barely contain the urge to smack Kolya in his disgustingly smug mouth.

Teyla's hand touched lightly against his arm, asking him to follow her and Sumner back to the Jumper, but he couldn't just leave.

He couldn't let Kolya win!

He'd used John like a pawn in his political dance so he could become King of the Genii. And he'd used a damn Wraith to do it!

John couldn't just walk away.

Teyla's hand dropped from his elbow, but he could feel her still stood close by, waiting for him.

Then a large warm hand settled on John's shoulder, which was definitely not Teyla's.

"Sheppard," Si' deep voice said gently from behind John's shoulder. John understood what Si was saying, his warning, understanding, and the obvious suggestion that it really was time to leave.

To walk away.

John's fists hurt he was clenching them so tightly at his sides.

Just one punch into Kolya's smug, evil face...

Kolya smiled back.

All that pain of the feedings, it was all for nothing because Kolya had won.

If it hadn't been for Todd, John knew he would never have made it out of that bunker. Even with the Honour Guard turning up, if he and Todd hadn't worked together, hadn't gotten up to the top level to be rescued...

It hit John then that, in that at least, Kolya hadn't won. He'd meant for John to die in that bunker, alone and his body probably never found. But John had made it out and was even back to his usual self again.

Kolya couldn't have planned for that.

John smiled at Kolya, that small victory suddenly really important.

Kolya frowned faintly at the change of expression.

It was another little win.

"I'll be seeing you around," John told him and turned away quickly, Si' hand falling from his shoulder and the big Elite shifted out of his way as John headed quickly towards the Jumper.

John didn't look back as he strode to the back hatch and headed up it quickly before he changed his mind and did something that would look real bad on the Alliance media reports.

Teyla and Si were presumably following him, but he didn't look back as he moved up into the Jumper and through the waiting slot between Cadman and Ford, the two of them at the edge of the crowded Jumper, watching over him.

He felt Cadman's hand touch the back of his shoulder in sympathy and support, and he nodded to her as he moved further into the ship, aware of Teyla and Si moving in behind him.

His teeth were hurting he was clenching them together so hard as he stopped inside the cool shade of the Jumper, and steadfastly kept his back to the watching Kolya outside.

"Get us out of here, Matthews," Sumner ordered over the sounds of the hatch closing behind him.

John just focused on controlling the urge to smack his fist into something.

"Yes, Sir!" Matthews called back from the front of the ship with clear pleasure in the order. "Taking us to the Genii Gate."

John looked up and forward, but he found himself meeting Rodney's eyes. Rodney was stood ahead of him among a tight press of Marines, his eyes wide and round, full of worry for him. John didn't want to have to admit that he really kind of needed that sympathy right now.

He smiled at his friend as best he could and McKay smiled back in that slightly awkward way of his.

John let out a breath, his head pounding with frustration as he watched the view out the far front of the Jumper shifting as Matthews took them up and away from Kolya, and John forced himself to finally open his fists. He looked down at his hands, seeing the deep marks of his fingernails embedded in his palms.

"So Kolya just gets away with it?!" Ford said towards the back.

"No Lieutenant Ford," Teyla was the one to answer him. "The Elite will not let this pass. Nor will my Father."

John's legs were feeling weak, not from exhaustion but because he could feel the anger and adrenaline starting to seep out of him. He needed to sit down.

He turned towards the bench on the left and found that the only space available was night next to Todd, so he sat down next to the Wraith with a heavy sigh.

Todd shifted slightly and John looked round to see Todd nod at him. John wasn't sure what the nod meant, but, oddly, it seemed to help. He sort of smiled back and then lowered his eyes to floor as he rubbed his aching forehead.

He'd had a lot of adrenaline in his system today, and he couldn't believe that Kolya had bloody won!

"...right, we have no evidence it was him," a discussion was going on at the back of the Jumper. "We will have to use other methods," Si was saying.

"Like a bullet you mean?" A Marine asked quietly, but it was loud enough in the Jumper to be heard.

Someone scoffed.

"The Elite cannot assassinate a planetary leader," Si replied sternly. "Then we would be no better than Kolya."

"If he was the one who killed Cowen," Ford protested, "there has to be evidence proving it."

"He will have concealed it," Teyla replied, her voice moving closer.

John looked up to see her move through the semi-circle of Marines watching over Todd.

She stopped in front of Todd and the Wraith looked up at her calmly.

"Did you recognise that man out there?" Teyla asked Todd.

"Oh yes," Todd replied in his amused and strangely weird Wraith voice. "I have seen him many times."

"In the bunker you and Major Sheppard were held in?" Teyla asked.

"No, not in that prison," Todd clarified, "but in all the others."

"Somehow I don't think anyone's going to accept Wraith testimony against Kolya," Rodney put in and John had to agree with him.

"Kolya is one of the most dangerous Humans I have ever met," Todd continued. "Present company excluded," he added to Teyla.

John saw Teyla's surprise at Todd's humour and the odd kind of respect he'd just shown her. She frowned and glanced at John. He met her eyes, her dark beautiful eyes that he'd never thought he'd see again.

"I told you, he's kind of different," John smiled up at her.

"Kolya is a particularly intelligent and cruel Human," Todd continued. "He killed many of my kind, but also many Humans as well."

John looked round at Todd. "Prisoners like me?" he asked.

Todd nodded back. "I believe he was conducting experiments on my kind's feeding and also obtaining information from his Human captives for his own means."

"He used you as a method of torture to extract information from people?" Teyla asked.

"Yes," Todd replied with feeling.

"Information about what?" Sumner asked from the circle of watching faces.

Todd shrugged his shoulders. "Many things," he said offhandedly.

"Such as?" Teyla pushed.

"I do not recall it all, it was mostly about Human endeavours," Todd replied.

Teyla moved closer to Todd, standing right up near his knees.

John tensed at seeing her so close to Todd, which was stupid because he was sitting just as close to the Wraith.

"If you are looking to be freed as my Honoured Husband has requested," Teyla said in a low and somewhat scary tone, "then I suggest that you make yourself more useful to us."

Todd lifted his head a little, his white hair falling away from his closest cheek, exposing the starburst tattoo around his left eye. John found himself looking across at Teyla's line of tattoos running down her throat.

"The information was about his own people, I believe," Todd replied, "and about those from Atlantis."

"What information did he want about Atlantis?" Teyla pressed.

"Planets Atlantis has visited, their trading outside the Armoured Herd's territory," Todd replied.

"He means the Alliance," John translated that for everyone.

"Did he get any information about the city itself?" Sumner asked, pushing in closer to Teyla. "Our defences?"

"Not that I recall," Todd shook his head. "My impression was that it was all intended to find the moment to capture Major Sheppard while he was away from your city." Todd looked round at John again. "They had been planning your capture for some time."

"How long?" John asked.

"I do not know how long I was held captive, but," Todd considered with a light frown, "it must have been years at least."

"Probably since they failed to take the city," Cadman suggested.

"Many of the bunkers we've already searched on that list of Kolya's known locations had cells in them," someone reported from behind Teyla. "Metal bars, chains."

"Sounds familiar," John muttered.

"Then we may have already recovered some useful intel from their computers there," Teyla considered.

"Kolya won't have left anything behind that was useful," John suggested. "He's been too clever for that."

"Can you provide the Portal addresses for the planets you were held on?" Teyla asked Todd.

"I was stunned unconscious for each move to a new prison," Todd answered her. "I have no idea where I was held."

Teyla frowned suspiciously.

"He had no idea we were on the Genii homeworld," John supplied.

Teyla's eyes moved back to him. She believed him even if she didn't believe a word Todd was saying. John felt weirdly like he was acting as Todd's defence attorney here.

Teyla looked back to Todd. "What other information can you provide to us?" She asked.

Todd considered her in a silent beat. "You are intending to hold me prisoner for this information?" He asked her.

John shifted his gaze from Todd to Teyla and back again.

It occurred to John that an Elite would probably be the last person to ever let a Wraith go free.

But he'd promised Todd that he would.

"We promised to take you off the Genii homeworld safely," Teyla supplied, the rest left unsaid.

She wasn't going to let him go.

It was probably the right choice, but John felt instantly bad about it.

"I could be far more valuable to you free," Todd replied.

All eyes shifted back to the Wraith. The semi-circle of Marines, Sumner and Si, all watching intently, as if watching some gripping daytime tv show.

"How so?" Teyla asked doubtfully.

"We're coming up to the Gate, Colonel," Matthews supplied from the front.

"Hold position near it," Sumner replied, his eyes staying on Todd.

"Yes, Sir," Matthews replied.

"Before my capture," Todd replied, "I held considerable status among my kind. Though it will take me some time to rebuild my position, once I regain it, I would perhaps be inclined to direct our focus away from Atlantis and the Armoured Herd."

"Where you will continue to feed on other innocent Humans trapped in your held territory," Teyla pointed out, clearly not approving of that plan.

"I would be more than happy to promise only to feed upon my own kind if that would help," Todd suggested. John glanced at him unsure if that had been a joke or if Todd was honesty trying to negotiate his release with that comment.

"There are far fewer Queens left among the stars due to your kind," Todd continued to Teyla. "It takes many years for a newly birthed Queen to mature, so in their place, high status Hive Primaries, such as I was for a very long time, are the ones who are commanding battles and overseeing cullings."

John saw Teyla's interest focus in on that.

"They have the same status as a Queen in leading the Hives?" Teyla asked.

"Not quite," Todd replied. "Such a Primary position must be held through respect and leadership."

"You were alive during the days of the Ancestors," Teyla told Todd rather than asked him.

"Yes," Todd nodded slowly. "I have lived to see many things. Though I have not seen your kind reach the level of advancement you currently hold."

"Times change," Teyla replied.

"Indeed they do, but, for Wraith, things do not change so quickly," Todd replied.

"What if they could?" Rodney's voice cut in.

John looked round as Rodney pushed himself into the semi-circle of Marines. "What if there was a way that we could help your kind stop needing to feed on people?" He asked Todd, his voice a little shaky while talking to a Wraith.

Todd angled his head round towards Rodney.

"Dr McKay," Sumner's deep growl warned Rodney, not that Rodney would listen to him.

"Not feed?" Todd asked McKay, clearly thrown by the suggestion.

"Colonel Sumner," Matthew's voice interrupted the conversation. "The Genii Gate guards are asking why we aren't leaving."

"Has the General and Mr Woolsey's team gone through yet?" Sumner called back.

"No, Sir," Matthews replied.

Sumner tapped his radio. "General O'Neill, I suggest you and your team go back to the city. We'll follow you through, or maybe make a little side trip on the way home."

" _Sightseeing?_ " General O'Neill's voice replied from the Jumper's speakers.

"We're in negotiations with the Wraith we captured," Sumner replied. "It may be willing to supply us with information in return for its release."

" _Then bring it back to the city and we'll sort it out there_."

"I will not assist you if I am your prisoner as I was to Kolya," Todd stated, playing his one and only card.

"We'll have this done in five, General," Sumner replied. "But, I suggest you go through now, and take some time about it so we have the time we need here."

" _Understood_ ," O'Neill replied. " _But don't hang around. I want you back in Atlantis within the hour, understood?"_

"Yes, Sir," Sumner replied.

" _That's only another twenty minutes, Colonel_ ," the General continued.

"Understood, General. We'll see you back in the city in twenty." Sumner tapped his radio off and looked down the Jumper. "Matthews, tell me when they've gone through."

"Yes, Sir."

Rodney had pushed through the semi-circle round Todd now, but was keeping to John's left. "We have a possible treatment we're working on," Rodney told Todd. "Something that could mean that you wouldn't need to feed on Humans anymore."

Todd frowned up at Rodney. "You have this weapon?"

"No, it's not ready," Rodney confessed, and John saw Sumner glare at the scientist angrily. "And it's not a weapon. Look, our research suggests that you're not all that different from us, genetically speaking." Todd let out a faint hissing sigh like he'd been insulted. "We know that when your Queens are young they eat food like us, and you have all the necessary working digestive system."

"Such consumption does not sustain us," Todd replied.

"But what if it could?" Rodney pushed, talking quickly as if he expected Sumner to shut him down at any second. "What if you didn't need to kill people to survive? What if the Hives didn't have to compete with each other over territories?"

John watched Todd take in the idea, his forehead creasing in a way John didn't know Wraith could frown. The idea of the retrovirus was clearly unexpected and weird to him.

"It could be the only way there's ever gonna be peace between our people," John supplied.

Todd glanced at him. "And then what?" He asked.

John didn't know quite what to say to that.

"All bets are off?" Todd suggested, the unexpected humour returning in his voice.

John looked into Todd's strange alien eyes, realising that he was already kind of getting used to them now.

Todd looked back up to Teyla. "If you release me, and once I have regained my standing among the Hives, I will consider this treatment."

"Just like that?" Sumner put in doubtfully.

"Releasing him is a significant risk," Si added.

Teyla looked towards Si and then to Colonel Sumner, the two looking at each other.

"He's just one Wraith," John found himself putting in, and couldn't quite believe he was saying it.

Teyla looked round at him and John could see the conflict in her face. This probably went against every fibre of her being and he felt kind of bad that he was asking this of her, especially considering all they'd been through of late. But, he'd given Todd his word and he honestly thought it was worth the risk releasing a possible future ally.

"Or we just kill him now," Sumner put in bluntly.

"And lose the opportunity to have a Hive Primary inclined towards peaceful discussions with both Atlantis and the Elite?" Todd interjected, not sounding the least bit nervous.

"You've been living in a hole for years," Sumner replied.

"True," Todd conceded. "But I worked alongside some of the most ancient and strongest Queens of our kind. It will not take me long to regain my footing."

"You're so certain of that?" Teyla asked him.

"Yes," Todd replied confidently. "With so much war and fewer Queens, it is in my own interests that I do not become a focus of your killing spree into our territory. And in the future, when I can meet you with more influence on my side, perhaps we can find a way to use your treatment research to find peace between our kinds."

Teyla stared at Todd, clearly not convinced.

A faint crease formed over her nose as she stared wide-eyed at Todd, which John suspected meant that she was up to something he couldn't see; using her Seeker power probably. If Todd was fooling them all, then she'd pick up on it.

She let out a soft breath and the crease above her nose disappeared. "He appears to be honest in his thinking," she supplied to everyone listening. "But then his desire to live is far stronger."

"I can sympathise with that," John put in.

Teyla looked at him again and he saw a play of emotions quickly cross her beautiful face. He smiled gratefully up at her; for coming here and helping save him, for hopefully agreeing to his probably crazy promise to a Wraith.

Teyla sighed lightly as she looked Si. "It is just one Wraith. It may, indeed, be worth the risk," she reiterated John's points and he felt a desperate burst of relief that she understood.

Si nodded his dark head, not saying anything, but apparently agreeing.

"If you agree, Colonel Sumner," Teyla added to the Colonel, and abruptly all eyes in the circle now turned to Sumner.

"I think it's worth the risk," John put in his opinion again, Sumner glancing down at him. "Like he said, it's in his own interests not to piss us off."

Todd chuckled at that.

Sumner looked at Si and then Teyla. "We can drop him off on a nearby Wraith held planet."

John was actually pretty surprised at the Colonel's decision, but wasn't about to question it. No doubt he'd question it plenty in the weeks ahead though, but, right now, he still felt he owed this to Todd. If it hadn't been for Todd, Kolya really would have won everything and John wouldn't be going home again.

Teyla looked back at Todd. "Alright, Wraith. We will honour my Husband's agreement with you."

Todd nodded as he smiled.

"But," Teyla added as she moved right up to Todd and leaned in over him, seeming suddenly twice her size as her shadow covered the tall seated Wraith, "if I see you on the battlefield harming any Humans, I will _not_ _stay_ _my_ _hand_." Each word had been slowly and precisely delivered. "Do you understand me?"

"Yes," Todd replied simply.

Teyla kept her glare on Todd, unmoving.

John watched in shocked admiration of the presence and forcefulness of her as she stared down the Wraith.

He'd seen her fighting the Wraith, he'd seen her standing up to Iketani and plenty of bad guys, but he'd never seen her like this.

She was fearless and powerful, and he had to work hard not to gape up at her.

Seeming to finally accept Todd's agreement, she slowly straightened up, but she took her time doing in, her eyes still fixed on Todd, and John caught a few impressed glances passing between the Marines around her.

His wife, the Wraith threatener.

And suddenly, even though Kolya had gotten what he wanted, all the relief and gratitude John had felt when he'd been rescued all came flooding back.

He was safe and he'd made it out of that bunker alive and well.

He looked down the Jumper to see both Ford and Cadman look back at him, both smiling back as he grinned at them. He looked back the other way, where Rodney was still stood just to his left.

He was back with his team and Teyla with them.

It had been the worst of days, but, actually, it had turned out okay in the end.

Because he had the best people watching his back and they'd come for him, just like he'd known they would.

0000

Sheppard's Queen was impressive, her mind and presence formidable as she watched Mind Song. As it had turned out, she was not only a member of the Queen Killer warriors, but she had the genetic access to the network as well.

He was aware of his own instinctive reaction to her mind as it moved against his, and his natural urge of acquiescence to her female commanding tone and threats.

Were she not Human, she would make a fine Wraith Queen.

He had been well aware that there were some limited numbers of Humans that had been inadvertently given mental access to the network, and had started to use that tool as a significant weapon among the Armoured Herd, but he had not encountered an example of it before.

Clearly the stories and rumours of such Humans had not been exaggerated. And in the mind of a female like Sheppard's Queen, he could feel how well she controlled that genetic gift.

It was yet another example to him of the reality of the Human threat.

They were no longer the simple herd creatures, there to be feed upon and left to breed in their simple huts during hibernations.

These Humans were very different. They held their own fearful instincts in check, watched him carefully, and used advanced technology easily.

He had always known that the Human herd was far more intelligent than some of his kin believed, but he could see now that the Armoured Herd were not going to be so easily removed as a threat.

The Old Lantean days had been different. Those Ancient ones had limited their technology to their famous city and their warships. These Humans, and those in the vast Human city he'd seen outside the ship, had embraced their advancements. They would not be returned to their huts and held underfoot very easily.

He had naively assumed that, if he was freed, that he would be able to help his kind return to full domination again.

But, as the Human Queen had said, things had changed, and even more so during his imprisonment.

How many more Queens had been killed by her number?

How many Hives destroyed?

Were his own kind now those threatened with extinction via their own culling?

However, there had been a further surprise from these Humans; a suggestion of altering the feeding process in order to bring peace.

He could not conceive of such a thing. Wraith no longer feeding?

What would that make them?

Would it even be possible?

Still, it was clearly a motivation for those from Atlantis, which meant that perhaps he could use it to his advantage.

He had already gained some significant insight from being held by Humans for so long and now in having met two network linked Human Queen Killers. In Sheppard's Queen her skills were particularly noteworthy in the way she had easily slipped into his mind before he could attempt to limit her. In battle, such a weapon must be deadly.

Yes, things had changed.

So, he would have to change with them.

And the Wraith too. Even if they did not know it yet.

Change was going to be the only way forward now. But how that would look, and how he would help navigate it, was something he was going to have to consider carefully.

Once he was free.

There was that obstacle to address first.

They appeared to be willing to release him, but Humans could be fickle creatures and could act out emotionally in an instant of fear.

So he watched them carefully as they watched him in turn.

The Lantean ship appeared fully powered and easily used by these Humans, clearly unaffected by its long housing in Atlantis. Or had these Humans brought Lantean technology to this galaxy with them?

He wondered how many of those watchful Human warriors eyes looking back at him were also carriers of the Lantean genetic ancestry. Those within the Armoured Herd were a threat, but clearly so were these.

Sheppard's people.

Mind Song looked round at Sheppard who had elected to sit next to him in an absurd display of companionship that Mind Song had found very amusing. Sheppard had even defended him in the discussion with the Queen.

Sheppard looked back at him, directly holding his gaze though there was still a healthy edge of caution in the Human.

The rush of Portal travel abruptly caught at Mind Song, confirming that they had finally departed Kolya's world.

Then new sensations.

He lifted his head, sensing the distant yet unmistakeable presence of his kind.

So Sheppard's people had brought him to a Wraith held world after all, not to one of their prisons.

Another surprising fact.

"Bringing us down in an open patch of ground, Sir," a Human reported from the front of the ship.

Mind Song shifted his attention back up to Sheppard's Queen, she was moving back and she indicated for him to stand.

Mind Song stood up slowly, ensuring he did nothing to provoke the many Human weapons pointed at him.

Sheppard's Queen's neck was decorated with a long line of altered markings that spoke of how many of Queens she had killed. He should hate her for that fact, but, regrettably, he only admired her more for her skill.

His wrists were bound with a tight thin strip of a material he had not felt before, but he suspected he could break it, especially as well fed as he was now. But, of course, it would be unwise to give Sheppard's Queen any reason to use what looked like a long blade attached to her back.

She indicated him to move through the press of Humans towards the opening back of the Lantean ship.

Sheppard's people pulled well away from him, allowing him a clear path out towards the slowly revealed patch of flat green ground outside.

Except one tall dark Human held his ground close by.

The other network linked Queen Killer.

Mind Song considered the male as he reached level with him, the Human's mind a shifting presence testing against his thoughts. The male's eyes held Mind Song's with no sign of fear at all and, like with Sheppard's Queen, that gaze said that the male would not hold back from killing Mind Song if required.

Mind Song passed the male and headed down the open back of the ship, his wrists still bound and held against his middle. His back to the Humans, he was in a significantly vulnerable position, but then he had been that way for a very long time now.

At the bottom of the ship's ramp, he stepped forward onto the soft ground of the new planet.

He sighed at the sensation. It was living, warm, and the air was fresh against his skin. It was night here, and he looked up to the wondrous sight of the sparkling stars high over head.

He drew in a deep breath.

Freedom.

"You wanted to see the stars again," Sheppard's voice arrived from just behind him.

Mind Song turned to find that it was just Sheppard who had accompanied him out of the ship. Behind Sheppard, the Lantean ship was entirely invisible. To any looking on, it would appear that he was alone here with a single vulnerable Human. Of course that was wrong, though unseen, there were many Human weapons no doubt pointed directly at him, waiting for him to make a threatening move towards Sheppard.

Any of those Humans could change their mind about releasing him and shoot him and he could do nothing.

A distant buzzing of a fighter caught at his ears. He had not heard that familiar sound in so long.

"Here," Sheppard moved forward, holding up a small knife that Mind Song had not noticed him holding before. But, Sheppard was indicating the binding around Mind Song's wrists.

Mind Song extended his arms towards Sheppard and, with one quick motion, Sheppard cut the binding.

Mind Song let out a long sigh as he circled his freed hands.

Sheppard had stepped back a pace, the knife still in one hand and the cut binding in the other. "Try not to kill anyone, okay?" Sheppard asked, clearly conflicted.

Mind Song chuckled. "I am sure there are plenty of enemy Hives full of other Wraith for me to feed myself," he suggested. "But should I see Pranos or Kolya one day, I will make sure to feed upon them for you."

Sheppard pulled another conflicted expression. "Uh, thanks."

Silence filled the dark air.

"You gonna be okay here?" Sheppard asked looking around the empty grasses and dark nearby forest.

Mind Song looked off into the distance, reaching out into the network. Not so many touched there as before, but through it he could sense a vast number of other Wraith somewhere in the far distance.

Then, far more distant from them, another mind - bright, alive, and reaching out to him.

"Yes," Mind Song smiled.

"Once you get yourself up through the Wraith ranks again," Sheppard drew his attention again. "The offer about working on the feeding therapy will still be on the table."

Mind Song nodded, but giving no assurances that such an endeavour could be certain. Though, Sheppard's expression suggested that he thought the same.

"It really could be a way for our people to find peace," Sheppard added.

"Maybe," Mind Song conceded. "If your Queen does not kill me first."

Sheppard's expression shifted at that, seeming shocked for some reason.

Another passing buzzing sensation caught Mind Song's attention. A fighter was approaching, most likely having detected the Portal's activation and seeking if some lost Humans had wandered through.

It would be wise for Sheppard to depart, so he looked back to the Human, except he had vanished. Back inside the invisible the Lantean ship.

Mind Song chuckled at the dramatic disappearance as he felt the air stirring around him as the Lantean ship lifted away, and the Portal abruptly came to life across the grass.

He stayed in place as the air whipped around him, trying to locate where the ship was, but it was useless. The Lantean's technology continued to hold its secrets all these long millennia.

The dust and mud flying up around him, he lifted his arm to cover his face, and the air started to still.

Across the short distance, he saw the glowing surface of the Portal displace as the ship went through it and then the Portal shutdown.

He was free.

Sheppard had kept his word.

Mind Song looked up from the empty ring of the Portal to the sparkling stars above.

He was finally free.

0000  
TBC


	41. The Wait

**Part** : 41/43

00000

 **Chapter 41 – The Wait**

The hours had dragged on in an endless wait.

Tiredness sapped at the edges of Halling's mind and body. His backside ached from having been sat so long on the basic metal bench that stood at the end of the corridor of the surgical section of the Facility's Healing Bay.

How many times had he sat here before? How many times had he waited for news of another severely injured colleague?

More than once it had been Oneakka.

This time felt different though.

It felt too...real.

He dropped his eyes from the empty corridor ahead to his hands. Each time he did, he was foolishly surprised they were no longer covered in Oneakka's dried blood. It felt like it was still there.

It was all gone of course, washed away in the decontamination shower he'd had to go through once the medic pod had delivered them to the emergency entrance into the Healing Bay. They'd whisked Oneakka away within seconds, leaving him and Seeal to be taken to be checked over. He'd tried to concentrate on the Healer's questions about his own injuries, which he'd been barely aware of in the first place. None of the scratches had been deep and none of them had been contaminated, but he'd still had to go through the shower.

The water had run red around his feet.

He rubbed one hand over the other, his skin that strange softness that only came with the sterilising gel they sprayed on you after a decontam shower. After the shower, dressed in the Bay's matching white trousers and long top, Halling had been told he had no signs of any significant radiation damage, presumably because the drive tech had been turned off when he and Oneakka had boarded the Hive. Only one of his scratches had needed sewing closed, and then he'd been released to sit here.

The hours had dragged on since.

He dropped his gaze to the thin white shoes he'd been given after the shower. They'd confiscated all his clothes for a complete decontamination, but also to test for any trace evidence from the alien. Memories of the fight with the creature kept flashing back to him in between the heartbreaking images of Oneakka lying on the Hive floor, to watching the medics restart Oneakka's heart in the pod, and the true concern on the professional faces of the Healers here when the pod had docked.

He realised that one of his hands was shaking slightly.

The adrenaline had long worn off and the desperate hole and pain in his chest hadn't let up since.

Oneakka had looked so ghostly white.

Halling closed his eyes against the replaying images.

How could this happen?

How could he survive facing that thing and now Oneakka was going to-

He snapped open his eyes and forced his gaze back up from the floor. Try as he might, he couldn't stop the images though. Oneakka's near transparent skin and his desperate relief when Halling had held his hand, assuring his friend that the prophecy had been broken. That Oneakka's actions in sending Seeal had saved him.

Then that look of peace, the way Oneakka's eyes had unfocused, his gaze shifting up to the ceiling as if he'd heard something only he could hear.

Halling had seen that look far too many times.

Tears filled Halling's eyes as his traitorous mind replayed it all for him.

His head hurt, as did his shoulders and his back, but none as much as his heart.

He leant forward again, setting his forehead in his hands and his elbows on his knees as he looked back down at the Healing Bay's floor.

The sounds of the Bay were distant, separated off this surgical waiting area by floor to ceiling frosted screens. He could hear the sound of voices, but not the details of words or who was speaking. There was the constant soft patter of feet moving around patients, items being put on a table, the squeak of someone's shoes on the floor. Usual life in the Bay.

Everything else moving on as normal.

The only sound close to him was the shift of Seeal sat beside him, her legs alongside his dressed in the same Bay given white trousers. Also deemed fit to be released by a Healer, she'd already been on the bench when he'd gotten here, and neither of them had moved since.

Others had visited, stopping in to ask for news on Oneakka and offer their support. Madesh had even appeared briefly having come in from the Sythus before his shift, and Halling had watched Seeal's rather surprised reaction as the man had embraced her kindly. The younger man's eyes had been obviously red from tears, Oneakka having become something of a mentor and father-figure to the man. Madesh had very reluctantly left to return to the Sythus and only after Seeal had promised to keep him updated on how Oneakka was doing.

Massa had been the most frequent visitor, checking on news from them and providing them with updates on the situation with the Hive. Apparently the Hive had been entirely secured, the alien's body already removed in a quarantined case, and the cruisers were all destroyed but one. That last cruiser had been badly damaged and was fleeing with Fleet ships on its tail when Massa had lasted reported in.

The news that the alien had been retrieved from the Hive had been a tiny island of relief for Halling, in that its recovery meant that Oneakka's sacrifice would not be in vain if the worst were to happen.

Footsteps caught at his attention and he looked down the corridor into the surgical sector, only to see that it was simply a Healer crossing from one door to another across the hallway.

Seeal let out a heavy frustrated breath on his left.

He looked round at her sat right beside him. Her face was unnaturally pale for her complexion and her eyes were wide and anxious as she watched the corridor ahead. Her eyes darted one way then another as she listened to the background noise of the Bay.

She had been worried all this time waiting with him, but he understood her new growing agitation. There had been reasonably regular updates from the surgical bay, though the Healers had been unable to provide any details other than that the surgery was ongoing. It had at least reassured them that Oneakka was still alive, his heart was still beating.

But it had been awhile now since the last update.

Too long a pause between reports.

Something had changed.

The surgery might be over, or they were preparing to deliver the worst news.

He looked away from Seeal's anxiousness, it echoing his own shaky and aching feelings all too closely. Waiting was always hard, but this...this felt torturous.

His back aching from his hunched forward tensed position, he made himself sit up, stretching his spine slightly, and then sit back against the wall behind the bench. His shoulder pressed slightly against Seeal's as he did, but she didn't move away.

He felt strangely close to her now, and she seemed intent to stay close to him. Clinging to each other's presence. He felt grateful for her companionship in the long wait, but he was also still somewhat shocked at what he'd seen from her on the Hive.

He'd not admitted it to himself before now, but he'd not liked her before.

He'd accepted that she wasn't a threat after she had saved his and Oneakka's life on the Glisi world, and after she'd followed through on her promise to assist the Elite as a form of redemption for her past involvement in Dreamstation. But he had wondered at the self-focus in her actions, and she simply wasn't the type of woman he took to. She was excessively verbally outspoken, stubborn to a sharp degree, and determined in a way that was loud and obtrusive.

The way she had argued almost constantly with Oneakka, the two's voices a constant battle of noise, had been uncomfortable to be around. Massa had had his own opinion as to why they were that way, but Halling had disregarded his explanation.

Until the Hive.

She'd cradled Oneakka's head on her lap and stroked his cheeks with tears rolling down her face.

Halling never seen anyone show so much care for Oneakka before.

Oneakka normally managed to keep people at an arm's length. It was only an exclusive tiny group of people, of which Halling was glad to be one, whom Oneakka allowed to know him well enough to care about him. Considering the unending grief Halling knew Oneakka felt from the loss of his entire people, it was not surprising Oneakka had difficulty showing care for others. And having lost so many of their fellow Elite over the years had not helped Oneakka in that regard.

But Halling knew the truth of his friend. Oneakka was a loyal and honest man, and was always deeply affected when those close to him were hurt or lost. When Massa had descended into deep despair in mourning for his Mera and their unborn child, it had been Oneakka who had steadfastly refused to let Massa push him away. Oneakka kept returning to his friend, offering support and had made it his personal mission to find what Iketani had done and bring her to justice. Oneakka hadn't said Iketani' name once since her betrayal had been revealed, and Halling knew part of it was because of what she had done to Massa as much as to the Elite as a whole.

So when Oneakka had clearly given his loyalty to Seeal in return for her having saved them both on the Glisi world, Halling had accepted Oneakka's trust in her. He hadn't enjoyed her company, but he'd accepted it.

Now...now he had to wonder if perhaps he'd actually responded from something else.

The one time he'd mentioned it to Massa, Massa had said he was jealous of Oneakka spending so much time with her and not him. Halling had laughed off the idea as just as ridiculous as Massa's views on Oneakka's 'feelings' for Seeal.

But, Halling had seen how Oneakka had reached up to touch Seeal's hair, his bloodied fingers softly stroking through the strands before he had passed out.

Halling had never seen Oneakka do anything like that before.

Massa had been right, and, during this endless waiting, Halling had started to reconsider his own behaviour of late.

He'd been so stupid about the prophecy. He'd tried to shut everyone out, push the terror and loss of control into a deep dark place of depression inside himself. As it had gotten worse, and even with Oneakka's stubborn demands to help, he'd started to go almost numb inside.

All too like Oneakka, he too had started to push people away, started to deny that the threat wasn't fixable. It had only been Oneakka's determination to save him... If Oneakka hadn't sent Seeal to help Halling in his place, then the outcome would have been very different.

And now Oneakka might be the one to die in his place.

Halling glanced at Seeal again.

He would never forget that she had stayed with him, both of them holding Oneakka in that eternal horrific moment together. He felt connected with her in a new and vital way now because of that, and he promised himself that, should Oneakka not survive, that he'd make sure he'd be around for Seeal. That he'd look out for her as he knew Oneakka would want.

Seeal sensed his attention and looked round at him, her eyes shimmering with tears and as tired looking as his own. There was none of the usual guardedness in her expression, no attempt to hide what she was feeling, and he felt immensely grateful for that, because he didn't have to hide any of it either.

"It's been too long since the last update," she said quietly, having noticed the same as him.

He nodded, but he didn't offer her fake reassurances; she knew what that could mean the same as him.

Seeal looked away down the corridor, her expression so forlornly sad.

"Halling?" Massa's voice called from the right and Halling snapped his head round, all too easily startled.

"Any news?" Massa asked in a quiet voice as he approached, his gaze moving to Seeal and back to Halling.

Halling shook his head. "Nothing new."

Massa's face fell as he nodded, his eyes moving away to the empty corridor to the surgery bays. Massa had spent a great deal of time in those bays himself of late for various corrective surgeries on his arm. And, like all Elite, he'd sat here waiting for news of friends' surgeries as well.

Massa looked back round. "Halling, there's someone here to see you." Halling frowned; who would be here to see him now? "They'd like to speak with you quickly."

Massa was indicating the way out of the waiting area, but Halling didn't want to leave, not for a moment.

"It's Ambassador Sitayi," Massa added.

Sitayi was here?

"She's waiting for you in the corridor outside," Massa explained. "I'll sit in your place," he offered.

A cold nervous chill passed over Halling as he rose from the bench, his eyes now on the other way out. She had to be here about the prophecy, didn't she? Or had what happened not been the moment she'd predicted?

Or had she come to offer her condolences because she knew Oneakka was going to die?

He looked back at the surgical corridor and then round to Seeal who was still sat on the bench looking up at him. "I'll just be outside," he assured her.

"Don't be long," Seeal told him, her eyes worried.

He nodded, trying to smile at her reassuringly. His new friend.

He headed quickly away from the bench, Massa's hand a warm squeeze on his shoulder as he passed him.

It was only a short walk around one bend in the white-walled hallway to reach the exit out of the Healing Bay. As he stepped out into the corridor outside, he spotted Sitayi stood down to the left. There was no guard with her, since no one would think it ever necessary to watch a Pelydrian.

She turned as he headed towards her, her turn so quick that that her flowing multi-layered clothing swung wide around her, the multitude of tiny charms hanging from the fabric catching the light in a series of glittering flashes.

She closed her eyes the instant she saw him, her hands lifting to her mouth, but he saw her smiling behind them.

He moved towards her faster, relief sending more chills through him.

"That was the moment you saw?" He asked urgently.

She opened her tear-filled eyes and nodded as he reached her. Her aged hands reached out to him, her warm palms cupping his face.

"I am _so_ pleased to see you, my boy," she smiled, her hands soft and gentle against his cheeks.

"That was the moment?" he asked again, needing to be sure.

"Yes," she confirmed through her wet eyes. "The way forward has been decided now. We are on the path we are on, and there is hope now."

Halling reached up to her hands, covering them with his own, and let out a deep, shaky breath.

"Thank you," he said through fighting emotions. "Thank you for warning me." If she hadn't, he would never have told Oneakka and Seeal's intervention wouldn't have happened.

"It was as I predicted?" She asked. Though she had known the event was going to arrive, as she hadn't been there to 'see' it in person, she'd been without any vital information for him. But, her warning had still been enough in the end.

"I fought one of the ancient enemy, alone in the dark," he confirmed.

She let out a shaky breath of her own. "But there is hope now."

"But what of Oneakka?" He asked her quickly.

Her eyes moved from him to the entrance into the surgical Healing Bay behind him.

Halling held still, watching her elderly face, which was without doubt far older than she appeared.

"He has a choice to make, Halling," she whispered looking back at him. She brushed at his cheeks with her thumbs, brushing away the tears he hadn't felt falling, just like his own Mother had used to do for him. He remembered so vividly Sitayi sitting beside Mother and smiling down at him when he had scraped a knee playing outside the tent. He remembered Sitayi had told him that one day he would not even notice a scraped knee.

"What choice?" Halling asked her. If he could understand, maybe he could help Oneakka somehow.

"That is his alone to know and choose," Sitayi smiled sadly. "I do know that he wanted nothing more than for you to live."

"He saved me, through another, because of your warning," Halling told her. "Did you warn me knowing it would save me?" He asked.

She shook her head as she brushed his cheeks once more and then her warm hands fell from his face to hold his hands instead. "I am just as much a part of the web as you. I cannot always know the part I play in things. But I cannot tell you how grateful I am that you survived," she said, her eyes filling with tears again. "My sweet Athosian boy. I have lain awake every night since my prophecy, desperate to know that the destined boy I watched grow up would survive being alone in the dark with no one there to help you."

"You did help me," he told her, holding her hands as tightly as he dared.

She nodded. "A web of interlinked parts all working together," she uttered. "And there is hope now."

"Do you know anymore about the returned enemy?" He asked.

"No, not yet," she replied. "But now that the path is decided, no doubt more will arrive for me to know. Now, go back to your vigil, Athosian," she gently pulled her hands from his and reached up to his shoulders. He did the same in return, repeating the Athosian ritual he'd shared with her countless times before.

"Be with your friend as he makes his choice," she said softly as he touched his forehead to the top of hers.

She squeezed his shoulders and then pulled back.

He watched her turn away, her smile reassuring and long remembered, and he abruptly missed his Mother with a deep profound ache in his heart.

As Sitayi walked away, he turned back towards the entrance to the Healing Bay, but a sudden sense of dread filled his chest and he froze.

In a foolish moment, he felt almost like he shouldn't go back in, that staying out here would somehow delay the reality of Oneakka's situation. It was ridiculous of course, and he quickly entered back into the Bay.

He turned into the waiting area and found Seeal and Massa sat on the bench and there was no sign of any Healer having reported an update.

Seeal noticed his arrival and looked round quickly. He held her gaze, silently asking if they had heard anything while he had been gone. Seeal shook her head.

He nodded and moved up to Massa's side. Massa was holding an electronic pad, which he and Seeal had been looking at.

Massa looked round. "Everything alright with the Ambassador?" He asked, clearly curious at her visit.

Halling simply nodded. "What are you looking at?" He focused on the detail of the pad in Massa's hand.

"This is one of the pads you asked me to retrieve from your quarters," Massa replied. Halling frowned, he had forgotten he had asked that. It was the research on everything he and Oneakka had gathered on a possible returning ancient threat. "I've been looking through your research for anything that matches the images of the dead alien."

"Have you found anything?" Halling asked as he sat down in the small spare space on the edge of the bench beside Massa. Without asking, Seeal and Massa shifted down the bench to give him some more room. They were huddled up close, but it felt right. It felt comforting.

"There's nothing that matches so far," Massa reported as he scrolled through a long list of entries on the pad. "Most of what you've got here are old texts describing the Wraith."

Halling glanced away as a memory flashed to mind. "I think she said a name to me," he tried to recall. "The alien said her kind would rise up."

Massa and Seeal looked at him expectantly along the bench.

He closed his eyes. His head hurt from the fight and from the tears, but it kind of helped to focus on something besides waiting. "I need to remember what she said. She didn't talk; it was like her words arrived telepathically into my head. It hurt."

He tried to run through what had happened, piecing together what had been horrifically fast and adrenaline-filled moments of the fight.

He remembered the moment he'd seen that she wasn't a Wraith and he'd realised the moment of the prophecy had arrived.

And that she had stopped.

"I think she could read my mind," he remembered. She had thought a question at him, like she was surprised he had known that she was something ancient returned. "She said her kind's name," he remembered. "The..." he squeezed his eyes closed. "Something like Keer-tee." He replayed what he could recall. "No, it was an S sound. "Seer-tee."

"Skerti?" Massa asked abruptly.

"Yes," Halling snapped his eyes open.

"That's in the list here," Massa tapped across to another section on the pad's screen. "It was a short list, so I read it first," he reported. "Here," he tapped into the list.

Halling reached for the pad and Massa passed it to him. "This is the list from Atlantis, potential enemies of the Ancestors they had heard, or that were listed on the Ancestral database. Skerti," He repeated the word that was written and read the notes Sheppard had supplied alongside the name. "They heard it on an Ancestral recording from a destroyed Lantean vessel or base. On the recording an Ancestor warned of something called the Skerti."

"That's not a lot to go on," Massa replied.

"If you can get the original recording device from Atlantis," Seeal put in quietly, "you can probably find the location of where it was recorded in the coding somewhere. Emergency recording devices usually have built in positioning systems."

It was a good idea.

"I'll contact Atlantis about it," Massa suggested.

"What is the latest from Atlantis?" Halling asked.

"I had just spoken with Teyla again before Sitayi arrived," Massa replied. "She asked that we let her know as soon as we can about Oneakka. She is dealing with the political side of things in Atlantis. Torren is planning to make an official complaint to the High Council tomorrow about Kolya."

Halling nodded, but he couldn't give much thought to that extra problem right now. The tiredness was threatening to engulf him again as he stared at the pad in his hand. All that research to look through again, but he couldn't find the will to do it, even if it would help pass the time.

"I can't believe Kolya is leader of the Genii," Seeal uttered with a heavy sigh. "This is the worst day _ever_."

Halling had to agree with that.

He saw Massa cover Seeal's closest hand with his. "He'll pull through. Oneakka is too stubborn to give up on anything."

Seeal nodded, but her eyes were focused on the floor, clearly not convinced. But then they had both seen how close to death Oneakka had been edging on that corridor floor. That he'd survived long enough to reach the surgical bay –

There was movement down the far corridor.

Halling shot up from his seat, the pad falling to the bench behind him.

A Healer, dressed in her surgical clothing was heading towards them.

Halling fixed all his attention on her face as she grew closer, aware of Massa and Seeal stood tense beside him.

Halling moved towards the Healer.

She wasn't smiling.

She looked grave.

"Is the surgery over?" Halling asked while she was still metres away.

She nodded as she approached and then stopped just ahead of him.

"We did everything we could," she replied.

Halling's heart stopped in his chest.

"We used all of his blood stock, closed up his wound successfully, but we haven't been able to wake him after the surgery."

Halling's stomach turned.

"But he's still alive?" Massa pushed from Halling's left.

"His vitals are very weak and are continuing to fall," she explained. "We're assisting his breathing and monitoring him closely, but it is unlikely that he'll regain consciousness."

The Healer looked from Halling to Massa and Seeal and then back to him.

"You should prepare yourselves," the Healer said softly.

Sitayi had said he was making a choice.

"Can we sit with him?"Halling asked quickly. He had to get to Oneakka's side, make sure Oneakka could hear him. Convince him to stay.

"Yes," the Healer nodded. "You will need to sterilise your hands and wear an extra gown over your clothes."

"Fine, where do we do that?" Seeal asked, her voice the strongest he had heard for hours, as she moved ahead, pushing past the Healer and striding down the corridor ahead of them.

The Healer turned and hurried to catch up with Seeal, while Halling quickly followed, Massa a close presence just behind his shoulder.

00000

Ketra bubbled contentedly as John stroked up her silver snout to the wide space between her dragon ears. Her chin was a warm and comforting weight on his thigh, her eyes closed as he ran his fingers back up her snout again.

Clearly Ketra had adapted pretty quickly to life in Atlantis in the day that he'd been away.

'Been away', like he'd been on some simple little vacation.

He ran the back of his fingers across the space between her ears, her velvety skin relaxing somehow, as was her bubbling sound that was the dragon equivalent to a cat purring.

Dr Petri had brought her here twenty minutes ago, Teyla having asked if Ketra could be left with him. He'd been more than happy to see the dragon again, her skin bright and her tail sweeping metal medical trolleys every which way as she'd run at him across the Infirmary.

She'd had a good sniff of him first though, obsessively running her nose across his hands and had even tried to jump up and sniff his hair. She'd growled a couple of times and John had decided she could probably smell Todd on him somehow. But, once her inspection was over, she had been right up against his side ever since.

He looked at his new standard issue watch, since his usual one had been taken by Pranos and his goons. It had been half an hour since he'd headed back down here. Doc Keller had initially run some tests on him the second he'd come back to Atlantis, but had ordered him back here for more tests after he'd given his report to the Colonels and the IOA. To get his report back to Earth as quickly as possible, they'd asked him to recount everything that had happened to them all at once, a camera recording the whole thing. He hadn't minded, since it meant someone else would type out the transcript, and Homeworld Security and the IOA wouldn't expect another report from him. Plus it meant that he'd gotten to tell everything while it was all fresh in his head and he'd particularly wanted to make it clear why he'd wanted Todd to be released and why it had been a good thing that Rodney had gone and told a Wraith all about the retrovirus.

Rodney was probably going to be in a bit of trouble for that and had been ordered into a meeting with Colonel Carter once John's two hour report and interview had finished.

What had made those two hours of report giving a little easier had been that Colonel Carter had agreed for Teyla and Si to be allowed into the full Conference Room as well. Seeing Teyla sat at the back of the room had helped and she had repeatedly given him encouraging smiles through the more difficult bits. He hadn't dwelled on the details about being fed on, focusing more on how he and Todd had arrived at their shared decision to escape together, detailing the escape, all the goons he'd seen – who had all already had been identified by the Elite helpfully – and on the very clear point that all of it had been Kolya's plan.

He'd described his capture by Kolya in great detail, from how Kolya had fired a grappling gun at his back to stop him from going through the Gate and the reasons Kolya had given for kidnapping him, including mentioning it as revenge for Iketani. John had noticed Teyla and Si exchange a look when he'd mentioned that last part.

Then it had been question and answer time, with Colonel Carter leading the questions, before the IOA adding their own and then Teyla and Si had been offered the chance too. Si had asked the questions for them, and he'd only asked about the mention of Iketani and the Genii in the bunker. He'd also asked if John would give testimony to the Elite and possibly Alliance investigators. At Colonel Carter's nod, John had willingly agreed.

As Si had sat down, John had seen Teyla send him another one of her supportive smiles.

Then, the report over, he'd been told to head back down here to the Infirmary for Doc Keller to finish her prodding. He'd had more blood tests, gone through the Ancient scanner again, during which Ketra had refused to sit aside quietly. Therefore, the result of his scan included his outline and part of Ketra's head where she had been stood with her feet on the edge of the scanner table. Apparently both he and Ketra's head were in good health.

But Keller had wanted some more blood tests, mapping some new protein in his blood, and had wanted a urine test and hopefully nothing else. He was still waiting for her final verdict.

He felt fine; more than fine. He hadn't felt so physically good in a long time, not that he'd felt ill or anything before the mission. Instead it was little things that he'd never really noticed before, like the faint discomfort in his left knee had disappeared, the slight neck strain he'd nearly always had was completely gone, and he swore he felt slightly taller than usual.

The only worrying part of all that was that he felt so good, which reminded him all too much of the bug incident and how weirdly well he'd felt then too. Keller had assured him that nothing like that was happening here, still he wanted to hear that his blood tests were all clear of whatever the weird protein was in his system.

He should probably feel exhausted after the day he'd had, but he didn't. Well, a bit of him did. Knowing that Kolya had gotten what he'd wanted in overthrowing Cowen still grated and left a kind of reluctant, pissed off tiredness; like when his team lost a game. Not depressed, but kind of close.

He was home and he was safe, but now the report had been given, his tests hopefully all clear, it kind of left him feeling...a little weirdly empty. He could hardly believe that everything had happened in less than a day. He'd left Atlantis for the mission in the early afternoon and now it was the evening, well, night really.

The night part was made obvious by how quiet the Infirmary was, with only a handful of beds full across the far side of the room and there were fewer medical staff about.

Still, he had plenty of company as he waited for the Doc's report. Cadman and Ford had come here with him, only leaving to get some food from the Mess Hall. The bits of snack food they'd brought back had felt great, but he wasn't all that hungry. He'd eaten a massive sandwich when he'd gotten back and several pudding cups, but that had been more than enough. Apparently being given your life back by a Wraith meant it filled your appetite.

Cadman and Ford had been sprawled on some chairs next to his bed since, looking pale and clearly ready for bed. He'd told them tons of times to go sleep, but they'd said they wanted to stay until he had the all clear. He appreciated the thought, and knew he'd done the same for them before, but they looked shattered. He'd heard from them their side of the day's story, knew all they'd done to help find him, so he hadn't had the heart to tell them to go again.

He checked his new watch again. It was almost midnight, so if Keller hadn't delivered his results by then, maybe he'd order them to bed.

Lowering his arm, he looked over his shoulder towards the closest entrance into the Infirmary, but the doorway was empty.

He'd not seen Teyla since the end of his report. She and Si had been about to dial back to the Elite and then sit with the IOA. No doubt Kolya's rise to power was big news across the Alliance right now and some response was needed by the Elite and Athos. Teyla had been pretty damn pissed at Kolya, but he had to wonder what exactly the Elite could do. Si had said enough for John to guess that the Elite had no way to get Kolya to stand down without some concrete evidence that he had been behind John's kidnapping.

Problem was that Kolya had been too damn clever for that.

He suspected Teyla would be fighting his corner though, doing her best to make sure the Elite knew what had happened. She also promised Torren would do something, but, again, John had to wonder what.

Kolya was a planet leader now...smug bastard.

"Think McKay will be okay?" Ford asked for the umpteenth time.

"He told the enemy we have a weapon to stop them," Cadman replied, as she'd already said umpteenth times too.

"It was the right choice," Ford defended Rodney.

"I'm not saying it wasn't worth it," Cadman defended her point. "But, he broke protocol and gave the Wraith a possible advantage in knowing about the retrovirus. They could fire him for it."

"McKay said we're going to need to do live Wraith tests sooner or later," Ford argued. He looked real tired, half slumped in his chair, his usual military parade straight spine all collapsed 'on the couch' style instead.

"Rodney doesn't work on the retrovirus," Cadman replied. They weren't arguing with each other, but the same discussion had been said in various ways that it was starting to sound like they were.

"Carson said the same," Ford pushed.

"They're not going to fire Rodney," John put in as he scratched gently around one of Ketra's ears. Her head leant into his hand and her bubbling increased a bit. "He's too valuable to the expedition. He'll get another slap on the wrist."

Cadman looked up at him where he was perched on the side of the medical bed. "His wrists must be raw by now."

John shared a smile with her. "He meant well."

"Yeah, he always does," she smiled with the weird insight that came from having lived inside Rodney's brain for a few days. "He just needs to ask before he says anything. Or asks a question. Or takes anything."

John smiled at her teasing at the absent Rodney.

"Or looks at anything," she continued.

Movement off to the right drew John's attention round, but it wasn't Teyla arriving, or even Keller with her report. It was still a Doc though. Carson was padding back towards them, his latest cup of herbal tea in his hand. John noticed that he was carrying the mug with his right hand, so presumably his upper arm break was healing up well even though he was wearing the plastic brace from elbow to shoulder.

Since Carson was still on medical leave and the small side room off the Infirmary was still his current quarters while he went through his burn rehab, Carson had been sitting with them.

"Any update on Rodney?" Carson asked as he passed between Ketra's side and Ford's knees, heading for his vacated seat alongside John's bed.

"Nothin' yet," John replied as he started scratching around Ketra's other ear.

"Jennifer asked me to let you know that she'll be here soon," Carson reported as he set his mug down on the side table. "She's just overseeing a leg being plastered," Carson added as he reached out to rub Ketra's head alongside John's hand. Ketra slowly opened her eyes and blinked sleepily at Carson. She really seemed to like the Doc.

"She still purring?" Carson asked with a wide smile as he rubbed one of Ketra's cheeks.

"She hasn't stopped," John smiled down at her too.

"Was it Parker who broke his leg?" Cadman asked Carson with interest. "We saw him wheeled in here ten minutes ago."

"You know I can't say," Carson replied as he sat down carefully, looking a little tired himself.

"I bet it was Parker," Cadman said as she got up quickly, heading away deeper into the Infirmary, clearly going to find out for herself.

"I miss anything interesting?" Carson asked.

"Just me telling Cadman and Ford to go to bed," John said pointedly towards Ford.

"We will," Ford replied offhandedly because he was looking off at something behind John.

John looked round quickly to the Infirmary's entrance. It wasn't Teyla, but someone almost as interesting had arrived.

Rodney was walking in, his head slightly low and his hands in his uniform pockets.

"This doesn't look good," Carson muttered worriedly.

"McKay, over here!" Ford called as he stood up. The call wasn't necessary, since they were the only ones in here outside of the occupied beds across the room.

John watched Rodney heading towards them. Yep, he definitely looked glum.

"You okay, McKay?" John asked once Rodney was close enough.

"You still waiting for Keller?" Rodney asked, uncharacteristically unwilling to talk about himself.

He reached their huddle, only to shift back a bit as Ketra looked round and up at him. He edged closer to Ford, peering nervously down at Ketra.

"What happened?" Ford asked him.

"Nothing happened," Rodney snapped, but clearly that wasn't true.

"Colonel Carter tell you off again?" Carson asked.

"Tell me off again?" Rodney repeated the words with disgust. "I'm not a kid, Carson."

"You sure?" John put in and Rodney pulled a face at him.

"What happened, Rodney?" Carson asked more gently.

"We both made some valid points," Rodney replied, his hands still buried deep in his pockets and his eyes dropping nervously to Ketra again. Ketra had lost interest in him though and her head was back on John's leg, her bubbling quieter now.

"I'm sure you did," Ford agreed supportively.

"Exactly," Rodney agreed.

"And...?" John pushed, sensing there was going to be more here.

"And I'm suspended for a week without pay," Rodney finished quietly.

"Sorry, Rodney," John told him honestly.

"I still stand by my decision," he added with his more usual determined argumentativeness.

"Sorry, McKay," Ford patted him on the back.

"It could still work out," John said honestly. "Todd could come through for us one day."

"We'll just have to wait and see if Rodney was right," Carson nodded with a little smile towards Rodney.

"I _was_ right," he started, only for Cadman to appear beside him. She was grinning.

"It was Parker," she announced with clear pleasure at her fellow Marine's broken leg. "He hurt it when he 'fell out of bed'," she reported while making speech marks with her fingers.

"McKay's been suspended without pay," Ford reported to her.

Cadman's face dropped from delight to a sympathetic frown as she turned to Rodney. "Sorry, Rodney," she told him honestly.

"I stand by my decision," he repeated.

"Maybe the Major's Wraith will help us with the retrovirus one day," she nodded, clearly trying to help him feel better though John could tell she hadn't agreed with Rodney's decision to tell Todd.

"The Major's Wraith?" John repeated her phrase with a frown. "You make him sound like a pet."

Cadman smiled round at him and then down at Ketra. "Maybe he'll fight it out with the dragon?"

"She'd win," John replied confidently.

Cadman and Carson both laughed, though Ford was saying something reassuring to Rodney.

"This should cheer you up," Cadman told Rodney but she was looking around the huddle. "Parker's round there having his leg set with Dr. Esposito with him."

"Dr Esposito?" John frowned, not placing the name.

"The physicist; shortish, shoulder length dark hair. Rodney used to have a crush on her," Cadman replied.

"Oh, right," John was pretty sure he knew who she meant now.

"No, I didn't," Rodney objected.

"Is she the one with the pretty little-" John started.

"Careful," Cadman warned.

"Smile," John finished his sentence. "I was going to say _smile_."

"Sure you were, Major," Cadman said doubtfully.

"Hey, I'm a _married_ man," John reminded her.

They all looked at him with strange pointed looks.

"So Esposito's round there with Capt. Parker?" John got the discussion back on point again.

"He swears he was by himself when he 'fell out of bed'," Cadman grinned. "Said Esposito just happened to be passing by his quarters when the medical team arrived to help him," she said doubtfully.

"Must have been some _tumble_ ," Carson joked and John chuckled.

"And she's staying with him while he has his leg set too," Cadman pointed out. "Very kind of someone who was just _passing by_ his quarters. He'll not hear the end of this."

"I thought Parker was going out with Dr Stevenson," Ford asked her.

"That was never happening," Cadman waved that away as she sat back down in her chair. "Stevenson has the hots for a certain young Lieutenant instead," she smiled at Ford.

Ford looked flustered. "No she doesn't."

"No, Ford's got the hots for a certain Alliance lady," John reminded them all.

"Says the man who _married_ an Alliance lady," Ford retaliated and they all turned to grin at John again.

"And shares a room with her," Cadman was next to tease him.

"We have separate rooms," John found himself correcting them.

"With a door linking them," Rodney now joined in.

"Very romantic," Cadman put in with a wink.

"The adjoining door is a political thing," John explained.

"Sure it is," Cadman countered.

Was it getting warmer in here? He got that they were teasing him, he did it to them plenty, but it felt a little too on the nose right now. He and Teyla weren't sharing a room, not properly. Maybe never again.

He remembered the regret he'd felt about that when he'd thought he'd been dying in that bunker. He'd cursed himself for not making his feelings clear, for having pulled back himself after their fights over her wanting a Political Marriage within the Alliance. He should have been braver lately, been honest with her. Told her he loved her.

Now though, back here and safe, all the problems and history were back again. And she had even more problems on her lap now Kolya had tried to kill her Political Husband.

That faintly empty, depressed place in his middle threatened to raise its ugly head again.

"Keller say how much longer she's gonna be?" John asked Cadman quickly.

"I didn't ask, sorry; I was too busy grilling Parker."

"Poor Captain Parker," Carson put in as he sipped his tea.

"He teased me mercilessly after I was stuck in Rodney's head," Cadman replied. "I'm just getting some payback."

"I see," Carson smiled back at her.

John frowned at the Scotsman's smile and switched his gaze back to Cadman, who was still smiling at Carson before she looked away to Ford and Rodney again.

Interesting. He'd have to have a word with Carson later, see if anything new had happened there while he'd been away.

And he was back on the vacation talk again.

Letting out a heavy sigh, John looked back round at the Infirmary entrance, but, yet again, no one was heading in.

He wondered what Teyla was doing. Maybe she'd even gone back to the Alliance; maybe that was why she'd asked Ketra to be left with him. Maybe she was kicking Kolya's ass right now.

He smiled at that image, but doubted it was true. Kolya had gone and won.

The others were chatting and teasing each other again, and he smiled as he watched them. It felt real good to be back with his team and friends. They'd helped rescue him and now were staying up when they clearly needed to sleep.

He was about to check his watch again when he finally spotted Keller heading towards them.

The others all turned and the laughter dropped away.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting," Keller smiled at them all and then down at Ketra. The dragon examined Keller for a second and then returned her chin to John's leg.

"So, everything okay, Doc?" John asked her, aware he was feeling a little nervous now.

She looked down at her tablet briefly and he could see his scan result with part of Ketra's head in it. "I've looked through all your scans and the multiple blood tests and you seem fine, Major. The picture of health actually."

John let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. "So _not_ turning into a bug again?"

"No, Major. There was never any chance of that."

"And the proteins you saw in my blood in the first test?" He checked.

"The levels have reduced substantially through your subsequent tests," she replied. "I want to monitor yours bloods over the next couple of days, but it appears that your body is removing the protein efficiently. The Elite specialists tell us that there should be no side effects of the protein in your system at these levels."

"They believe the protein is part of the Wraith's feeding mechanism that actually strengthens the victim so that they can withstand the feeding process," Carson added into the conversation. "I've been exchanging letters with an Alliance scientist who gave a presentation on the latest understanding of Wraith feeding at the Conference on Athos. It's a very interesting protein and could be a useful for our research."

"Pen pal, huh?" John asked Carson with a smile.

Carson smiled back, the left side of his face wrinkling through healing scar tissue. "A few now actually. They have made some truly fascinating discoveries in their research on Wraith physiology, but also in their medical research."

"We've kept a few samples of your blood for research purposes," Keller added. "Is that okay with you Major?"

"Sure," John agreed easily.

"And how are you feeling now?" She asked, her eyes doing that Doctor assessing scan thing.

"I feel great," John replied. "Bit tired," he admitted.

"I'm not surprised," she smiled at him. "I suggest that you have a good night's sleep, _all_ of you," she added looking around the group before turning back to him. "I've recommended to Colonel Carter that you have a week's leave, Major."

"I'm fine, Doc," John assured her.

"Fortunately, yes," she replied. "But, you need to take some time off after something like this."

John was pretty sure there hadn't been a case like this here before, but she was a Doc and she looking out for him. "Sure," he shrugged it off. "So, I can go now?" He checked.

"Yes," she smiled. "Just drop in for a further blood test tomorrow morning, but, if you are worried about anything, contact us straight away."

"Sure, Doc. Thanks," he shifted forward to get down off the bed, carefully dislodging Ketra as he moved.

"A week's leave, Major," Keller insisted before she turned and headed away.

Ketra's head up off his leg, he slid off the bed and stood with his team.

"Thanks for sticking around guys," he smiled at them. He had the all clear and everyone could head to bed finally.

"Good to have you back, Major," Ford clapped him on his shoulder.

"See you tomorrow, Major," Cadman put in with a big smile.

"Tomorrow guys," John smiled at them as they moved away.

Rodney held back though, looking a little nervous again. "You sure you're okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine, Rodney," John assured him. "Thanks for having my back."

"I'm really glad you're, you know, you again," Rodney added before he followed Ford and Cadman towards the exit.

John looked at Carson, who had also stood, tea mug in one hand.

"Good to have you back in one piece," Carson smiled.

"Thanks, Carson," John smiled back.

"Make sure you get some good sleep, John," Carson added, but his eyes had shifted away over John's shoulder and then back. "See you tomorrow."

"Thanks," John replied as Carson moved away, but he was already looking round to see Colonel Carter and Teyla entering the Infirmary. Perfect timing.

A sharp push at his leg was Ketra turning away, and John watched as she rushed around the end of the bed and legged it towards Teyla.

Teyla dropped her attention to the fast approaching Ketra, reaching both her hands down to greet the eager dragon, but John paused, watching as Teyla smiled down at her approaching pet.

Her smile didn't look quite right.

Ketra reached her and began a bubbling bright dance around Teyla, like a happy dog greeting its long absent owner. Only a dog didn't have a long dangerous swinging reptile tail that John could hear banging against the nearby beds, but Ketra didn't seem to care.

Colonel Carter was grinning as she passed through John's view of Teyla, the Colonel keeping out of strike range of the tail as she headed towards him.

Carter smiled brightly at him as he rounded the end of his former bed to meet her, Teyla in the near distance working to calm the excitable Ketra.

"Major," Colonel Carter smiled warmly at him. "How are you?"

"Doc's given me a clean bill of health," John assured her.

"Nothing about a protein in your system?" She asked with a knowing smile.

"You heard about that already huh?" John winced at her. "Dr Keller and the Elite specialists say it shouldn't be a problem."

Carter nodded. "Good, and it's good to have you back, John."

"Thanks," John smiled back. "And for the rescue," he added, meeting her eyes directly. He'd thanked everyone during his report, but he'd not had one-to-one with the Colonel since he'd gotten back.

"It was a proper group effort," she admitted. "And it sounds like we have your Athosian Honour Guard to thank for arriving at the most crucial moment."

"Yeah, they're good people," John agreed. "I was, uh, wondering if we could maybe invite the Honour Guard here some day, as a thank you. The Ancestral City is kind of a big deal on Athos, and I know they'd enjoy it."

"Sounds a great idea," she agreed. "Honoured Elite Emmagan and I have just finished talking with Leader Torren."

"Oh?" John sensed some news was incoming.

"Torren has just publically declared that Athos is ceasing all trade with the Genii Confederation in protest to Kolya's involvement in your capture," Carter reported.

"Whoa, really?" John asked, aware of Teyla now headed towards them. "He did that?"

"My Father is very angry with Kolya's actions," Teyla supplied as she arrived beside Carter, and John felt Ketra bump against his leg. "As we all are," she added as John looked down at Ketra sandwiched between his and Teyla's legs. He scratched around her closest dragon ear as he looked back up to Teyla.

"The Genii individual who supplied us with the possible locations Kolya might have been holding you outside the border has requested asylum from my Father," Teyla continued. "Father intends to grant it."

"This Genii have anything we can use against Kolya?" John asked hopefully.

Teyla glanced to Carter and back. "He is only one man's word against Kolya's and all those loyal to him. This individual was apparently part of Kolya's fellow conspirators on the homeworld, but he started to disagree with Kolya's actions, including capturing you. Father has not released any details of the individual's grant of asylum yet, as we need to ensure the correct legal procedures are followed to protect this man from Kolya."

"Probably wise," John replied as he watched her, unsure what seemed off in her expression. "Are we gonna be able to question this guy?"

"Father said it should be possible, but the interviews will have to be conducted on Athos," Teyla replied with a glance to Carter.

"Should be fine," Carter agreed. "Though, now Kolya is in command of the Genii Confederation, I'm not sure how much of an advantage it'll give us," she asked Teyla.

"He may be able to supply information on further bunkers and factories outside the border that you can investigate," Teyla suggested.

Carter nodded. "It's worth a try. If nothing else, we might be able to damage Kolya's reach outside your border and find out what information he gained about Atlantis."

Teyla nodded, her eyes dropping to Ketra, who was pressed against Teyla's legs now, looking up at her with wide orange eyes. Ketra looked subdued now, almost worried, as she looked up at Teyla. John watched Teyla stroke her hand across Ketra's darker grey head. Something was definitely up.

"There's some good news though," Carter put in and John looked back up to her.

"Oh?"

"The Alliance were successfully able to stop the rogue Hive ship that's been terrorising their territory," Carter supplied.

"That's great," John said encouragingly to Teyla, hoping that would make her smile.

She did smile, but it seemed strained and her eyes dropped back to Ketra again. "Yes," she replied with little enthusiasm, "and we were able to capture the tech they were using to move around our territory undetected."

"That's good too," John smiled at her, watching her closely. Something was definitely wrong. She looked like she was working hard to hide it though.

She took a breath and smiled a little more at him. "Yes and there was another surprise involved."

"Yeah?" John asked.

"Do you recall the damaged Ancestral device you purchased at the carnival on Athos?" Teyla asked.

"Sure," John nodded, only then he realised where this might be going. "The Ancient black-box recording that warned Atlantis about something called the Skerti." Teyla nodded. "I put it on that list I gave you about possible old enemies of the Ancients."

"It appears that the Skerti are an alien race and one of them was leading the Wraith Hive," Teyla reported.

"That doesn't sound good," John frowned. "That Ancient on the black-box looked real freaked about the Skerti."

"Indeed," Teyla agreed. "The Skerti on the Hive was killed, but we have its body to study."

"So the new tech the Hive was using was possibly Skerti tech," Carter added.

Teyla nodded.

"Tech that can allow a Hive to jump big distances without warning?" John checked.

"Yes," Teyla replied. "Colonel Carter has kindly agreed for some of our experts to visit here tomorrow to study the black-box device," she said with a faint frown that she used whenever she first used an Earth term. He nodded to her that she'd used 'black-box' right. "Hopefully we may be able to find out something further about the Skerti."

"The Elite have agreed to share everything they learn about the Skerti with us and hopefully we might be able to find something else from the Ancient database," Carter supplied.

"We didn't find anything in the database before," John considered. "Maybe the tech or the details of the Skerti itself could help the search."

"That's our hope," Carter agreed.

"It will likely take a few days for our scientists to study the Skerti' body," Teyla added. "And perhaps far longer to unpick the tech as it unfortunately emitted a dangerous form of radiation when it was active. We will need to find a way to study it safely."

"We may be able to help with that," Carter offered.

Teyla smiled at her. "I will let the other Elite know of your kind offer."

"We could even lend you McKay if you're willing to put up with him," John offered to Teyla, dipping his head to catch her gaze again.

She smiled back at him, but, again, it wasn't right. Her eyes weren't bright, in fact, she looked...sad.

"But you, John," Carter drew his attention away from Teyla, "you're going to take a _week's_ leave."

"The Doc says I'm fine," John argued.

"We don't know how you will react over the next few days, _Major_ ," Carter stressed his rank.

"The Elite specialists said I shouldn't have any side effects," John repeated Keller's point.

Carter smiled, apparently amused at him. "I'm sure they'll be right, especially since you'll be resting."

John opened his mouth to protest again. What was he going to do sat on his ass while everyone else was finding out about the Skerti and helping the Elite?

"John," Carter interrupted him before he could start, "you're due plenty of vacation days as it is. Take some time, play some golf, go surfing with Lorne again." That actually sounded okay.

"You can take Ketra for walks along the piers," Teyla put in helpfully.

Those were some pretty good ideas and clearly everyone was ganging up on him about this. "Okay," he reluctantly agreed.

Carter grinned at him. "It is good to have you back, John," she said as her warm hand landed on his upper arm.

He smiled at her.

Carter squeezed his arm and then turned, only to pause facing Teyla. "I'll see you back up in the Control Room," she said oddly softly to Teyla.

Control Room?

Teyla nodded to Carter, but with one of those close-lipped, strained smiles that wasn't right.

John watched Carter heading away, noticing the two Marine escort duty waiting for Teyla outside the open doorway through which the Colonel was leaving.

John switched his full attention back on Teyla. "You gotta go somewhere?" He guessed. Was it about Kolya? He hadn't had any time alone with her since they'd gotten back and he'd hoped to be able to at least sit and maybe share one of her Athosian teas with her.

She nodded, but her eyes were still down, watching as she stroked Ketra's head again. She took a deep breath and he swore he could hear it shaking slightly.

He shifted closer to her. "What is it, Teyla?" He asked anxiously.

She lifted her head and she was blinking rapidly. "Oneakka was gravely injured in the battle with the Hive."

Oneakka?

"Is he okay?" John asked worriedly.

She swallowed and licked her lips. "He has not woken from his surgery." She looked down again, her hand on Ketra's head, and she let out another shaky breath. "They do not expect him to survive the night."

He reached for her, cupping the outside of her arms. "Oh God, Teyla. I'm so sorry."

She nodded and looked back up at him, her eyes watery. She blinked hard, trying to hold in the tears.

The impulse to pull her to him was instant and it was only the fact that they were stood in the Infirmary, in full view of a handful of people, that stopped him. He squeezed her arms, rubbing his thumbs against her jacket, and wondered if he should just hug her. But, he knew she didn't like to show too much emotion in front of people, and she looked like she was barely holding it together. As soon as Carter had left them together, she'd started to lose it.

"Si has gone to visit his bedside now," she continued. "I will go when he returns."

He rubbed her arms with his hands, offering such a pathetic amount of support considering what she was going to have to go do. He knew exactly what it was like to get this kind of news about one of your team, a close friend, and have to go see them one last time.

"I wanted to make sure you were alright before I go visit him," Teyla added, her damp eyes meeting his.

"I'm fine, Teyla," he assured her, shifting a little closer to her. "You need to go be with him."

"Halling is with him, and we can usually visit a few at a time," she swallowed hard. "To say goodbye."

He squeezed her arms tightly, desperately wanting to hold her. "Oneakka's the toughest guy I've ever met," he told her. "If anyone can pull through, I'm sure it's him."

She nodded, blinking hard, but he could feel her straightening in his hands, feel her gaining control of herself again. She lifted her head, her chin held higher. "Can I leave Ketra with you?" she asked. "I shouldn't be too long."

"Of course, Teyla," he replied quickly. "Take all the time you need."

"I just needed to be certain you were alright before I go," she repeated, studying him with what looked like real worry for him.

"I'm fine, Teyla," he reassured her, as he seemed to keep saying to people this evening. "Honestly."

"Are you sure?" She asked and one of her hands touched against his chest.

The touch, as simple and light as it was cut at him. He realised he didn't want her to go, that he wanted to hold her not just for her, but for him too. He had thought he'd never get to see her again.

But she needed to go see Oneakka, he totally understood that. Plus, she was leaving Ketra with him so that meant she was planning to come back. He'd see her later, check she was okay.

"Honestly, Teyla," he told her. "I'm fine. You need to go see Oneakka."

She nodded, her hand dropping from his chest, and John watched her work to control the grief from overwhelming her again.

Oneakka? God, the guy seemed so unstoppable, but then hadn't she always warned him that Elite died young?

He squeezed her arms again. If she'd been on that Hive today, could it have been her fighting for life right now?

"I should go up to the Control Room," she said as she wiped her eyes and then glanced aside, as if realising that there could be people watching.

He rubbed her arms one last time and dropped his hands from her, understanding she didn't really want to go. He could understand why.

"We'll be waiting when you get back," he promised her as he noticed Ketra was staring up at them with an almost worried look. He reached down and stroked the dragon's snout.

Teyla reached down to Ketra as well, stroking her head. "Ketra, you need to stay here with John," she told her pet. "I will return soon," she promised and then, in a move he hadn't ever seen her do outside the privacy of her own quarters, she bent down and pressed a kiss to Ketra's head.

Teyla straightened up, her control in place now, but her eyes still looked deeply sad as she tried to smile at him.

"Say hi to Oneakka for me," John offered. "Tell him we're all thinking of him."

"I will," she agreed as she turned away, heading away towards the entrance where the Marines stood waiting for her.

Ketra shifted against his leg and he looked down at where she was anxiously watching Teyla leave, but she'd apparently completely understood that she was meant to stay with him. He rested his hand on her shoulder and looked back towards Teyla's retreating back.

As she reached the exit, Teyla paused and looked back at him.

He gave her the best encouraging smile he could muster.

She smiled faintly back and headed out.

He instantly wished that he'd gone with her.

Ketra pressed against his leg and he pulled his eyes from the empty exit to find the big orange dragon eyes looking up at him with a strangely confused look.

"She'll be home soon, Ketra," he reassured her and hoped it was true.

He certainly wasn't going to be getting any sleep until she came back.

0000  
TBC


	42. The Love

**Part** : 42/43  
 **Warnings:** Established Character death, violence, deviousness, and sexual content.

 **NOTE:** Apologies for the delay, but I wanted to post the last two chapters together, so it took a little longer. I hope they are worth the wait...

 **GENTLE REMINDER:** Please make sure you familiarise yourself with the warnings (copied above) for this fic before you read this chapter.

00000

 **Chapter 42 – The Love**

Seeal had no idea how long she'd sat here, how many hours. The passing of time seemed only defined by the low quiet beeping of the monitors set around the head of Oneakka's bed, and the near constant flow of people visiting him.

They entered the small room in twos or threes, moving around the end of the bed quietly and up along the far side to where Halling sat by Oneakka's left shoulder. All the visitors said they were sorry to Halling before each leaning in over Oneakka, saying soft, kind words to him. Then they left to be replaced by the next visitor.

As they all came in to pay their respects to Oneakka; to say goodbye.

There was a frightening efficiency to it all that said how often they'd all done it before.

Elite died in large numbers after all, it was just that Seeal had always assumed Elite died fast at the hands of a Wraith or in a fiery battle. But it made sense that many lived long enough to reach a medical facility or back here where the other Elite could visit them on their deathbed.

Deathbed.

She hated the word.

So she kept her eyes away from the parade of horrifically experienced mourners and their soft painful words whispered to Oneakka.

She just kept her eyes on Oneakka.

They'd shaved his head, presumably to repair the raw sewn-up wound running backwards along his scalp, and it made him look more vulnerable somehow. There were various scratches and smaller injuries down his bare arms, but the rest of him was covered in a white blanket. Though hidden, his other injuries were obvious by the bumps of bandages under the blanket; especially the worst one, the massive injury through his lower belly.

She tried not to look at the obvious wounds, but keep her eyes on his face, occasionally on Halling sat on the other side of Oneakka from her, and mostly on her own hands lying on Oneakka's closest arm limp and still at his side.

His skin felt faintly warm and she clung to that fact, even as traitorous tears kept filling her eyes.

She heard the shift of boots and low voices across Oneakka, another visitor talking quietly.

Saying their last words to Oneakka.

She didn't know if she could take much more of this.

Battle-hardened warriors reduced to soft, tear-filled words almost cut through what little control she had to stop herself sobbing.

She'd never sobbed over anyone.

Except Father and in the nights after she and Ulfur had been run off their world. Afraid and alone on a planet neither of them knew, children lost and abandoned by everyone. She'd cried each night for seven daily cycles where the near constant sobbing Ulfur couldn't hear her, until the eighth day when her anger had arrived. That day she'd promised herself that she'd never put herself in that kind of situation again, never let anyone treat her like the Glisi had, and it had set her on a path of fighting back ever since.

Oneakka had called her a fighter, and today felt like the hardest fight she'd ever battled.

She wasn't used to this; caring so much.

All the visitors - Elite, Facility staff, Madesh, and various others she hadn't even been able to look at - had come in here to say goodbye to Oneakka with such obvious affection for him.

He wasn't an affectionate man, but they all cared so much for him.

Halling hadn't moved from his seat across from her, and he'd been talking almost the entire time. If he wasn't quietly greeting visitors from his chair, he was constantly talking to Oneakka. Watching tears rolling down Halling's cheeks cut at her. Not just because she saw too much of her own pain in his drawn face, but because these brothers-in-arms clearly cared so much for each other. No one had ever cared that much about her; even her mother and Ulfur, her own blood brother, had never loved her.

She blinked more tears away, dropping her eyes from Halling's latest tear-filled whispered exchange with the latest visitor and returned her vigil to her hands on Oneakka's pale arm.

No one had asked her to leave, though she had expected it when Elite had started visiting. She had been fully prepared to put up a fight if they tried to get her to move from her seat, but no one had. Madesh had even hugged her again when he'd visited Oneakka earlier.

So she'd kept quiet, stayed on her side of the bed opposite the visitors, keeping the urge to sob inside and focusing on the faint warmth of Oneakka's skin under her hands.

She'd found the faintest line of an old small scar on the inside of his upper arm, lying now under her left index finger. She found the scar comforting somehow, a reminder that he'd healed from so much before. She kept catching herself running her fingertip along the short scar, judging the likely weapon that had caused it, perhaps a knife or a piece of flying debris. It had probably only been a shallow injury, but wide enough that his body had left a scar in drawing the edges together. He'd recovered from far more massive injuries before, the right side of his face testimony to that fact, so he could heal from this latest one, couldn't he?

She lifted her eyes from his arm to the monitors up around his head. She didn't understand what most of them displayed, but she could see that some of the readings were lowered than earlier.

He was slipping away.

The tears were back, blurring her view of his peaceful, still face.

She lifted one hand from his arm to swipe away the traitorous water, clearing her view somewhat. At which point she realised that there were no visitors in the room anymore. She glanced round to the doorway off to her right, but it was empty and the hallway outside looked darker than before. Was it late?

She looked back to Halling across from her, sat by himself now with no one else at his side. Behind him, the side wall of the small room held a long wide window, presumably for observation from the ward room next door, but through it she could see that the lights were lower. And she realised the general sounds of the Bay outside the open door were even quieter than earlier.

There was just the rushing sound of air flowing to Oneakka's nose, helping push additional air into his lungs, and the little bleeps from the monitors.

And Halling's voice.

His eyes were red and exhausted as they moved over the monitors; she guessed Halling knew how to read them.

Clearly he wasn't happy with what he was seeing.

"You need stay, Oneakka," Halling whispered. She watched him lay a hand on Oneakka's forehead, his fingers clearly shaking. "You need to make the right choice to stay here."

A shift of sound to the right told her another visitor had turned up and she almost sighed, desperate for them to stop. To just leave her and Halling with Oneakka.

"Anything?" Massa's familiar voice arrived though, not a one-off visitor. He'd been coming in regularly, moving between reports on the end of the battle with the Hive, taking care of his son, and talking with Atlantis apparently.

She looked round to find Massa's eyes on her as he moved around the foot of Oneakka's bed. He smiled kindly at her, though she could see his own pained grief across his face. She imagined each time he came here he didn't know if Oneakka had slipped away while he'd been gone. She tried to send him a smile in return, grateful for his repeated appearances.

"His pressure and brain activity are still dropping," Halling told Massa, his overworked voice sounding painful and dry.

Massa reached Halling's side and, as he did each time, he laid a large dark hand on Halling's shoulder. She watched Halling try to smile up at his friend and colleague before Massa shifted forward to lean over Oneakka.

Massa laid his other hand on Oneakka's chest, over his heart.

"I see you're still lying down, Oneakka," Massa said almost conversationally, as if he and Oneakka were simply sat around their usual canteen table. "You're going to have to get up soon," his voice broke a little now though, "there's work to be done, my friend."

Another shape registered to the right of Massa and Halling, and Seeal blinked away tears to see Emmagan had returned. She'd visited earlier, during which she'd spent some time talking with Halling as well as visiting Oneakka. Seeal hadn't listened to any of her and Halling's conversation, but presumably some of it had been about Atlantis' successful rescue of Sheppard and Kolya's resulting rise to power. Emmagan looked tired and probably had some significant political issues on her plate now considering Kolya had pissed off Atlantis and tried to kill her Political Husband.

"I'm going to go check on Aki," Massa continued to Oneakka. "But I will be back again soon, brother. See if you can wake up by then."

Massa pulled back, his hand lingering on Oneakka's chest before he turned away. Seeal saw him squeeze Halling's shoulder again before moving away and Emmagan stepped into his place, one of her hands now taking up the same spot on Halling's shoulder. She and Halling were obviously close, judging by their earlier whispered intense conversation, and Seeal watched as Halling covered Emmagan's hand with his own; something he hadn't done that with anyone else.

"Seeal?" Massa voice cut in from Seeal's immediate right and she looked round, surprised to find him stood right beside her. "Do you need anything? Something to eat or drink?"

She was a little thrown by the offer; she hadn't even thought about anything like that. She shook her head.

"I'll bring you some of the Athosian tea you like," Massa replied though, so she just nodded, stupidly suddenly wanting to cry at him being so kind to her.

She quickly returned her eyes to Oneakka's arm, fighting against the sudden tightening of her throat and the deep, dull ache in her chest.

"Oneakka, my old friend," Emmagan's soft voice drifted over the bed. Her voice was strong, but it wavered with emotion. "Halling tells me Sitayi says you are making a choice."

Seeal looked up at that strange comment.

Emmagan was stood right up beside Oneakka's other side, her entire forearm lying over his chest and she was leant down over him, which brought her closer to Seeal than any of the other visitors. This close, Seeal could see the watery droplets caught on Emmagan's eyelashes as she smiled kindly down at Oneakka.

"I hope you know," Emmagan told him, "how much we need you here, how much we love you."

Seeal looked sharply away, looking down to the woman's golden hand lying on Oneakka's chest, her skin in sharp contrast to the white blanket over him.

Seeal dropped her eyes back down to her own hands, tightening her grip on Oneakka's arm.

How did this stubborn, difficult man mean so much to so many people?

He was blunt, unyielding, and frightening brave.

And when had he started to mean so damn much to her?

She didn't want him to go.

She had idea how to deal with the raging, tearing emotions in her chest.

The urge to sob rushed back, constricting her throat, and she watched her hands squeeze his arm as if that could somehow help keep him here.

"Whatever choice you make, my friend," Emmagan's voice continued softly and emotionally. "We are all here for you."

Seeal heard someone sniff.

It might have been her.

"I will be back tomorrow morning, Oneakka," Emmagan added. "But I am with you. As is Sheppard. And, yes," she added with a slightly shaking out breath, "I will tell him to put on more muscle, as you always tell him."

Seeal sensed Emmagan moving and looked up to see the Elite woman lean down and press a kiss to Oneakka's forehead, holding it for a long second before lifting a few inches up from him. "May the Ancestors stand with you and watch over you," Emmagan whispered.

Seeal returned her bleary view to Oneakka's pale arm.

Something moved into her view though and she blinked round to her right to see a small metal table had been wheeled up to her side and Massa was setting a cup of steaming tea onto the small table.

"You need to drink something at least," Massa told her in his kind deep voice. He was probably right and, besides, it would help him feel better, so she lifted her right hand from Oneakka's forearm and reached for the cup and lifted it up to her mouth.

It smelt good, the fragrance cutting through the antiseptic smell of the medical bay that she'd gotten far too used to. She sipped at the drink, expecting it to be too hot, but apparently Massa had made sure it wasn't. She gulped down the small mouthful and felt Massa's large hand touch against her upper back.

She crushed her lips together as she set the cup back down, Massa's warm, soothing rubbing across her back so kind. She couldn't remember anyone having done that to her before.

She forced herself to look up at Massa. "Thank you," she told him, and it wasn't just for the tea.

"I'll be back soon," he told her before smiling sadly across at Halling opposite.

As he stepped away, Emmagan was revealed, now on this side of the bed as well. Seeal watched in surprise as Emmagan reached forward and placed her hand on Seeal's shoulder.

"Are you sure you do not need anything, Seeal?" Emmagan asked.

She needed Oneakka to live.

Seeal shook her head, surprised anew at their offers to comfort her.

People never did that for her.

It made her want to cry even more.

Emmagan smiled softly, her eyes noticeably red. She squeezed Seeal's shoulder before she pulled her hand away and the woman's gaze returned to Oneakka. Seeal watched the clear anguish and grief twist the woman's face before she swallowed and blinked.

"I will be back tomorrow morning," Emmagan promised Halling.

"Are Atlantis helping with the Skerti research?" Halling asked her as if the question had suddenly come to him.

"Definitely," Emmagan reassumed him. "I'll tell you what we find," her eyes lowered back to Oneakka and Seeal saw Emmagan lay her hand on Oneakka's closest knee. " _Both_ of you."

Then the woman turned away, swallowing hard, and Seeal watched Massa place his comforting hand on Emmagan's back as they headed for the exit together. Both looked back over their shoulders just before they left; probably expecting it to be their last view of Oneakka.

Seeal snapped her eyes back to her hands on Oneakka's arm.

He was still warm.

He was still alive.

The rush of air and the bleeping of the monitors filled the quiet air.

She looked over at the monitors.

They hadn't changed.

"I think," Halling said softly to Oneakka, "that you are doing this just to have everyone tell you how much they care for you. After kisses from the ladies," he chuckled brokenly. "Just like when you were young; you, Myrtle, and Kane broke so many hearts," his voice broke into a near sob.

Seeal clutched at Oneakka's forearm as she watched Halling struggle to keep going.

"You need to make the right decision, Oneakka," Halling ordered, but his voice was failing. "I don't think I can accept this. I need you to survive. To fight against the Skerti with me."

Halling had bruises and long thin scratches across his face from his fight with the Skerti alien, but it was the raw, red eyes and dark patches under his eyes that were the most obvious. He looked awful, and she suspected she looked just as bad.

"You need to come back," he continued, his voice cracking. "It can't be right that I survive and you don't-" his voice faltered and she watched him drop his head forward, overcome. He lifted a hand from Oneakka and pressed a large piece of paper towel to his face.

"You need to-" His voice broke finally, sounding painful and tight. He'd been talking too long.

He was running out of voice and time.

Then she'd take his place.

"You need to stay here," she told Oneakka, trying to sound controlled and logical. "Everyone needs you here." Her voice sounded weird to her, shaky and tight like she'd never heard it before.

Halling sniffed, his face still pressed into his paper towel.

"You know the Recruits are going to get sloppy without you here," she told Oneakka, looking at his handsome still face. "You've got to keep standards up," her own voice threatened to break.

She cleared her throat.

She could do this.

"And who else is going to make sure I stay out of trouble?" She asked him, almost laughing but it kind of collapsed into a coughing crying sound.

She looked from his face to the monitors.

Nothing was changing, nothing was stopping him going.

She tried desperately to think of something that would convince him, as if he could actually hear her and Halling.

She certainly wasn't going to say anything kind and thoughtful like Emmagan and the others though; that would just give him the idea that it was okay to slip away. He needed motivation to fight to stay.

"And," she added into the quiet bleeping and rushing air, "you need to make sure that I don't find out what your name means. Because," she cleared her throat again, "if you go, Halling's going to tell me. So you need to come round and make sure that doesn't happen. Okay?"

Across from her, Halling lifted his face from the paper towel and she met his gaze. He hadn't made any such promise to tell her what Oneakka's name meant, but he gave her a sad, pained smile.

She pressed her lips together, pushing back the wave of tears threatening to come back again.

"And I need to prove to you that I _can_ swim," she looked back at Oneakka, her voice betraying the new wave of tears. "I'm _not_ afraid of water," she insisted.

Memories of that moment by the underground river returned; his ridiculously gorgeous smile and that deep, rich laugh at her.

Was she never going to hear that again?

She dropped her eyes quickly back down to his arm, her hands tight around his strong forearm.

He was so still, so lifeless.

Her throat was tightening up on her again.

There was another sniff and it definitely wasn't Halling this time.

"And help us fight the Skerti," Halling took up the argument, his voice a little stronger now. "Teyla says Atlantis are going to help us. They've got the recording that referenced the Skerti."

Seeal reached for the pile of paper towels that she only now spotted beside the tea Massa had brought her. She wiped at her face, her skin feeling dry and stretched.

She kept her left hand on Oneakka's arm as she set the scrunched up towel on the table.

Her throat was dry and still seriously tight, so she reached for the tea, taking another small sip.

"Atlantis are helping us look at the recording device itself," Halling continued his report, clearly hoping to catch at Oneakka's curiosity now. "Maybe we can find something more on it about the Skerti."

"If we can find a location coded on the device," she added to the conversation, the tea having helped her throat so she took another small sip and set it down. "Maybe we can find where the Ancestors met the Skerti."

Across from her, Halling nodded. "It looked quite like a Wraith, Oneakka," he added. "You'll find it fascinating. The genetic tests will be interesting." He coughed a little. "Should tell us a lot."

"She was big too," Seeal put in. "Taller than Halling."

"And strong, Oneakka. She was so strong," Halling's voice constricted. "If you had not sent Seeal..."

Seeal snapped her gaze quickly to Oneakka's face. "Not that that's an excuse for you to go anywhere," she told him sternly. "There's work needed."

Halling nodded across the bed.

"No leaving," Seeal added, and now it was her voice breaking.

Halling nodded as he gently settled his hand on Oneakka's forehead again. "No leaving, my friend," he whispered.

Seeal fixed her gaze back on Oneakka's arm, tears swamping her view into simple blurry shapes.

"No leaving," Halling repeated.

She blinked hard, the tears tipping out of her eyes to run down her face. They felt warm.

Warmer than Oneakka's skin.

She ran her hands down his cool arm, finding his limp hand at the end of it.

She gripped his hand tightly.

He couldn't just slip away.

He was too big and strong for that, wasn't he?

If there was any justice in the damned galaxy, in this stupid unfair and uncaring universe, it wouldn't just let him die so easily and quietly.

It wouldn't take him away from her.

0000

Teyla had made it back to the Portal and through to Atlantis on near autopilot, presumably making sense to people that she'd talked to at various points on the journey. Despite her excessively long stressful day, Colonel Carter had still been on duty when Teyla had arrived back into the Ancestral City, and she had kindly asked after Oneakka. Teyla had told her something, presumably polite and appropriate because the Colonel had smiled and touched her arm.

As the hour was very late in Atlantis, there was no need for any more meetings, so Teyla had been able to head directly to her Atlantis quarters. She had managed to remember the route easily enough, though the two Atlantis guards who had walked with her had been there to help direct her if she had gotten lost through the tall hallways of the City. In truth, she couldn't recall most of that journey either.

Today had been so difficult.

Oneakka was so unwell. The reality was that she had seen him for the last time...until his funeral.

How many times had this happened before? How many times had she had to say goodbye to one of her fellow Elite, or, if their body was not retrieved, had to stand by an empty symbolic pyre in memory of them?

And it had almost been John too today.

She felt like she had lived an entire year's worth of stress and fear today.

Her legs felt worryingly weak under her, but she kept them moving through Atlantis' hallways, determined to get back to her quarters.

She needed to know that John was alright.

While in the Facility, between her visits to Oneakka and reporting on the Kolya and Atlantis situation, she had managed to speak to two of the Elite's leading researchers on Wraith feeding. Both had assured her, given John's story, that he should have no side effects and was unlikely to have lost any life. If anything, it was possible that he may have gained some.

Still, she needed to see him, even if it was only to peer quietly into his room and see him sleeping peacefully.

To know that she wasn't going to lose him tonight as they were with Oneakka.

She turned down the last long corridor to the quarters and worked to blink away the tears that threatened to fill her eyes again. She had let many of them out in Massa's strong embrace after they had left Oneakka, and she had been aware of Massa's own tears against her hair. There was no shame in showing grief, but it was not something she wanted to share in front of those here. She had already noticed the guards' softer expressions being clearly aware of the reason why she had briefly returned to the Alliance. Though, perhaps the new level of relaxation among the guards behind her, and in the two standing up from a small table ahead, was due to the day's shared experience as well.

The guards previously stationed directly outside her and Si' quarters were no longer standing guard in the hallway, but had set up a small table midway down the corridor instead. It was clearly a mark of respect to her and Si for them not to be stood constantly outside their quarters' doors, and, she imagined, was far more comfortable for the guards. As she approached the guards' table, she saw that they had some hot drinks, food, and the same type of playing cards she had seen Lieutenant Ford show the Honour Guard on Athos. She would ask John if he had any to show her the game.

These new guards both nodded to her with open smiles; yes, their attitude had clearly changed this evening.

"Good evening, Honour Elite Emmagan," one of the guards smiled to her. "Honoured Elite Si asked me to tell you that he has retired for the night and will rise early to visit the Training Facility tomorrow."

"Thank you," Teyla smiled at the guard. Si would visit Oneakka first thing and would likely know before she woke up of when Oneakka had passed to join the Ancestors.

"Good night, Ma'am," the guards behind her said and she looked round to see that her escort were already leaving.

"Good night," she replied as they moved away.

"Do you need anything sent to your quarters?" The lead guard at the table asked her. "Some food or anything?"

"No, thank you," she replied, surprised at the kind offer. "I just need to sleep," she smiled at them as best she could.

"Good night then," he smiled.

"I am sorry, I do not know your name," she asked, realising she hadn't seen this particular guard before.

"I'm Walker, Ma'am, newly stationed here to be honest with you. I've not had the pleasure of visiting the Alliance yet."

He was a very personable man and a rather soothing balm on her fail nerves. It felt nice to have a pleasant conversation that wasn't about death and politics.

"I hope you will be able to visit us soon," she smiled back.

"If you need anything, we're just down here," he replied, gesturing to the table.

"Thank you," she replied as she moved on past their table. "Enjoy your game," she added towards the cards.

The polite conversation complete, she headed on, now with no one following on her heels, towards her quarters. As she passed Si' door, she felt her mood lower again. Si had said he would pray for Oneakka before he slept tonight, having visited the Facility before her. With Kari' passing on the Glisi world, losing Oneakka would mean they would lose two members of the Sythus crew in only months of each other.

How many more?

She continued on towards her own quarters, moving faster now that the promise of rest and seeing John grew closer.

She waved her hand over the line of crystals outside her door and they parted to allow her in.

John had left a low light on her for, which cast immediately over Ketra who was clambering down off Teyla's own bed to come and greet her. Teyla couldn't bring herself to tell Ketra off for using her bed, for she was too relieved to see her.

"Hello, Ketra," Teyla greeted her friend as Ketra padded over, clearly very sleepy. The time it took for Ketra to reach her, gave Teyla time to notice the extra soft light ghosting in through the open adjoining door to John's quarters.

Ketra's snout brushed against her hands, drawing her attention back down to her.

"Have you been good?" Teyla asked quietly given the open adjoining doorway. "Apart from sleeping on my bed," she added.

Ketra just closed her eyes as Teyla stroked her cheeks and ears.

Pleased Ketra was contented enough, Teyla straightened and headed quietly towards the adjoining door.

If there was light coming in from his room, he may still be awake.

Almost to the door, she paused to pull free her scabbard and laid her sword and weapons on the side, before continuing on towards the promise of John's quarters.

She just needed to see that he was okay.

She stepped up into the doorway and peered inside.

Except he wasn't there.

The light was on though and, as she moved a little further into the room, she could see that his bed covers were pushed aside and there was a book lying on them, open and flat to save the place he had reached.

She looked across the low lit room towards the closed door to his washroom. He may be in there, or had he been called back to duty?

Or had he been called down to Atlantis' Healing Bay – Infirmary, she corrected herself. What if he had felt unwell and was suffering after effects of the feeding process?

She took a calming breath, aware that she had started to panic a little. She was too emotionally tired, and needed to remain calm.

He was probably in his washroom, or, if somewhere else, he would return soon.

She moved back to the adjoining doorway and stepped back inside her quarters. Ketra had remembered that she wasn't supposed to sleep on the bed and had returned to the mattress on the floor.

Teyla should probably climb onto her own bed, get some sleep, but she needed to see him.

Needed to...

The wall was on her immediate left, so she reached out to it. As she had wanted to do for the last hour, she rested her weight against the simple support of something. She turned her back against its coolness and leant her head back against it with a heavy sigh.

Poor Oneakka.

And Halling's story.

Why had he not told her about Sitayi' prediction? He had apologised in his hurried emotional story of what had happened, and she had, of course, forgiven him, but it struck her now how her having known might have altered matters. Had she known the threat presented, she knew she would have delayed her visit here to Atlantis and would perhaps not have been here in the crucial moments needed to save John.

For all her fears of being here when something dramatic might happen in the Alliance, the opposite had almost come to pass. By being there, she would have lost the opportunity to help in John's rescue, to ensure –

She heard a door open in John's quarters, so she quickly pushed away from the wall and stepped back into the open doorway. "John?"

He was emerging from his washroom, as she had hoped, and was rubbing a small blue towel around the back of his neck. He pulled up short, his eyes landing on her and his big smile instantly satisfied and relieved every part of her that had been worrying about him.

"You're back," he grinned as he threw his small towel aside.

"I wasn't sure if you were in your washroom," she explained. He was moving towards her, so she moved towards him.

"Yeah," he waved vaguely at his hair, which looked slightly fluffy, like he had only just dried it. "Every time I laid down, Ketra kept obsessively sniffing my hair," he told her with that lopsided smile of his that she had missed so very much. "I think she could smell the Wraith on me or something," he added as they reached each other.

She wanted to reach for him, to feel for herself that he was real and well. To know that he had truly been returned to her alive and fully intact.

But, she held herself back. Matters had not been so relaxed between them to embrace like that... it was how things used to be...

Before she had been so foolish in trying to push him away. To think that losing him in any fashion was right for her.

"How's Oneakka?" He asked, his smile dropping into worried concern.

She found herself looking down and away from him, the sadness rushing back. The reality was that, though John had been returned as he was, the same could not be said for Oneakka.

"He is in a very bad way," she told him, hearing the emotions in her voice that threatened her control. Today had been so difficult. Everything she held dear had been involved, even Athos had been shaken by today's events, its vital trading relationships perhaps forever affected by Kolya's actions.

"Teyla, I'm so sorry," John replied, his voice soft, kind.

Then his hands were on her arms, sliding around her, offering what she so desperately needed.

She stepped eagerly into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his middle, and pressed her entire being to him.

His arms slid right around her, holding her to him just as tightly, and her tears threatened to break free again as she pressed her face in against the top of his chest.

"I almost lost you today," she whispered into his shirt; his bed shirt, warm with his body heat and smelling so wonderfully of him. She dipped her chin slightly, flattening her cheek further against his chest, seeking what she had craved.

And there it was, thumping with life, his heartbeat.

She closed her eyes as she listened to it, drinking in all of him. Everything she needed.

Everything she had missed.

Everything she had tried to throw away.

His arms tightened even further around her, the side of his chin pressing against her forehead.

She sighed into the warm, safe space of him. The delightful sense of home and peace.

Here, she could face anything, could accept the worst and deal with the hardest of fates.

Here, with her John.

She tightened her hands on the back his shirt, clasping the fabric so that she could press just that extra bit closer to him, and she drew in a deep healing breath of him.

She had missed this so much, being this close to feel each of his breaths, to live them with him. To be held by him, to be pressed body to body with nothing held back.

There were words she should say, but she couldn't seem to find a place for them in this warm embrace. Nothing else existed for her but his scent, his body, his heart beating against her chest, his warmth, and his love.

She felt it in his embrace, though she couldn't ever describe how such a thing was possible, but she did.

His chin grazed away from her forehead only to be replaced his lips. The kiss was soft and long held, and she drank in every second of it until his lips lifted from her skin and his chin settled against the same place as the kiss. His arms shifted around her, somehow finding extra space to embrace her further.

His kiss and tighter embrace told her he was affected by the day far more than he had admitted. Again, she could not say how she knew that was what he felt, but she understood it nonetheless.

Staying tight against him, she released her right hand from its tight grip on the back of his shirt and drew it round and then into their embrace, lying her forearm against his front and gently flattening her hand where the feeding mark had been at the top of his chest.

She felt the faintest shudder go though him, barely discernible, but she felt it.

She gently rubbed her fingers back and forth across the feeding place, feeling for certain through the thin layer of fabric of his shirt that he was healed. Though the mark was gone, she could not imagine it was so easy to forget, so she caressed the place on his chest gently, hoping to add soft gentle memories over the cruel ones.

He took a breath, deeper than before, and, held so close, she moved with him the entire way. She could feel the faint shudder again in the big breath and its releasing sigh.

She opened her eyes, her head close to where her hand stroked his chest, and she watched her own fingers slide gently back and forth across his shirt. He took another deeper breath, but it wasn't as full or as shaky as the last one. His chin seemed to rest heavier against her forehead, so she kept up her gentle caress and kept her left arm wrapped tightly around his back.

Stood like that, she shared each breath with him, their chests pressing tighter with each mutual in-breath and then relaxing together with each out-breath. And through each, there was the gentle, wondrous thump-thump of his heart under her hand as she soothingly stroked back and forth across his chest.

She realised that, at some point, he had started to gently rock them both, the motion small but so very soothing. In fact, she was moving with him without her having realised, the two of them holding one another and soothing each other's pains.

One of his arms had loosened around her, though again she could not recall when, and his hand was now rubbing slowly up and down her upper back, moving in time with her caress across his chest and their gentle rocking from side to side. It was perhaps the most calming sensation she had ever felt.

She had no idea how long they had been embracing and it didn't matter. This was everything she needed today, everything to fill the hurt and pain and, hopefully, do the same for him.

Time simply slid on, his embrace and rocking blissful and simple.

And she had wanted to push him away?

The reasons were old and foolish outside this space where they met. In truth, it had always been this way. When together, alone, the rest of the universe had always slipped away, leaving them peaceful and happy together. She had thought that dangerous before, worried it had become distracting, but now – now, she understood. Now, that intensity and their safeness together was an anchor within the wild storms of life. There was no way to have predicted today's events, or be able to predict what might happen to them again in the future, but this...this simple, honest truth was more than enough for her.

And in his embrace, she suspected it was for him as well.

Though...

She lifted her head gently from his chest, slowly so as not to break their gentle, happy spell too much, and, without moving her body away from his, she leant her head back and to the side so that she could look up at him.

He pulled his chin in so that he could look down at her in turn, his hand stilling on her back and sliding back around her to hold her tightly again. Perhaps he was worried she was going to pull away.

She instead simply looked up at her handsome and most wondrous husband, and smiled up at him.

He smiled back down at her.

The angle was a little awkward, her neck already aching, but she held still, smiling up at him.

His chin lowered, his lips moving slowly down towards hers.

She lifted her fingers from his chest and slid her hand up and around the back of his neck, encouraging him and drawing him to her.

His lips were warm and soft as they met hers, pressing gently but somehow also firmly as well. It was a kiss that felt as perfect as their embrace and silent conversation.

She had considered what she might say to him if such a day might arrive that they might consider becoming lovers again, what apologies and explanations she could offer. And today, in the long waiting moments of anxiety and fear for him, she had imagined telling him once again of her love. But none of those words felt necessary now. In fact, they felt messy and inaccurate compared to the simplicity and honesty of their kiss and the undeniable press of his manhood growing against her belly.

She parted her lips softly from his, drew in a breath, and pressed her mouth back to his with open lips and a touch of her tongue.

His lips parted instantly for her, his tongue seeking hers, and their mouths sealed together as they had not done in such a long time.

She felt him draw in a sharp breath, his body shifting almost instantly into a more alert, needful state. She felt it through all of him pressed against her, felt it send tingles and warmth through her in turn.

In the safe anchor of him, she willingly lost herself into the long slow slide of his tongue, the drawing suction of his mouth, the captured breaths between sliding lip against lip, his breath mixing with her own.

It was an intoxicating spell that felt timeless yet also sharply present and intense.

As the kiss rolled and lingered, he ran her fingers through his hair and down the back of his neck and back up again. The sense of him was both new and achingly familiar.

It felt far too long since she'd run her hands over him, since she had felt his hand tight in her own hair, heard the needful roughness of his breath and felt the thick press of him against her lower belly.

Drawing her senses together from their scattered pattern though, she slowly pulled her mouth from his, gradually drawing lip from lip. He kept their mouths together for as long as he could though, his lips parting from hers finally with almost an audible pop, and she felt his hands gripping the back of her jacket to keep her close.

She peeled her chest and belly away from his, and reached around behind her own back, seeking out one of his hands. His fingers loosened from her jacket only when she slid her hand around his, drawing his hand from her back and into her own, interlinked her fingers with his.

She looked back up at him, holding his dark, softened gaze. "Will you lie with me, my Husband?" She asked him.

He nodded instantly.

She had never heard him so silent for so long.

She smiled up at him and his wide-eyed silence as she turned away towards his bed, leading him by his hand. He put up no resistance at all, instead followed her closely without comment.

She reached the end of his narrow bed, clearly designed for a single individual to use, and reached down with her free hand to draw his blankets completely aside, exposing the soft mattress underneath, making space for them.

As she did so, he moved closer, his body a closing warmth against her back, and she felt the rush of his breath before his lips lowered to the side of her neck.

His mouth pressed, wet and open, against her skin, sending teasing, thrilling sparkles of arousal across her skin and down through her body.

She closed her eyes at the sensation as she straightened up from the bed, leaning her head back and to one side as his mouth flowed up the side of her neck.

She released his hand, drawing her fingers from among his, and reached to the buttons securing her jacket closed. She pulled them open and his hands were immediately sliding through the opening edges of her jacket, his caress firm and deeply arousing.

She ran her hands over the back of his lean forearms before reaching up to her collar, drawing the jacket back and down. She had to lean forward from him to start pulling it from her, but he did not give her much space to do so. She chuckled as she had to wiggle her shoulders to encourage the jacket down by itself.

He seemed to decide to help now, his hands sliding up her front, grazing full and uncompromising up over her breasts, but, regretfully, not pausing on their destination to her shoulders. He grasped the lapels of the jacket and, finally, pulled back from her enough to pull it down and off her arms.

She shook her hands to free the last of the jacket from her arms as his hands slid back around her middle, but he wasn't caressing so much now as gasping the bottom of her top and drawing it up in a long, slow, but decisive pull. She lifted her arms up over her head to assist and he pulled her top up over her head and then up her arms.

The fabric free of her hands, she dropped her forearms backwards behind her head to clasp the back of his head as he pressed back against her tightly, his mouth once more on her neck. Though, this time he was sliding his lips down to her shoulder, while his hands were sliding back around her front, but now, gloriously, against her bared skin.

There was just one last piece of fabric in the immediate way though, but his hands slid under the cups of her bra without pause, covering her breasts entirely in his warm wide hands. She groaned at the feel of him, of the gentle squeeze and heat of his palms. She reached up to her own side, unclasping the bra, and she rolled her shoulders to dislodge the fabric down off herself. The bra dropped away somewhere and out of any interest.

All that interested her was his mouth moving back up her neck and his hands massaging her breasts.

"Teyla," he whispered as his lips reached her ear, breathing her name across the sensitive lobe.

She ran her hands over the back of his, gripping his hands as he massaged her just as she liked.

It felt as if there were no barriers anymore, the sensation of him against her, touching her, felt newly emotional and loving whereas before, as beautiful as it had always been between them, now it felt like there was a new freedom of passion.

But, she wanted one thing from him that she had not allowed before.

She turned slowly and carefully within his hold, sliding around within his embrace so that she faced him once again. He kept close though, his hands on her bare back now, sliding across her skin and down to her still covered backside, as his eyes lifted from her breasts to meet her gaze. His expression was of dilated arousal and the staring intensity of passion that she remembered so well.

She settled her hands on his chest, his shirt still a thin barrier between their flesh, but she focused up on his eyes. "I want you to lie over me, John," she whispered to him.

He blinked, his mind focusing a little now, clearly not having expected her request.

His eyebrows rose a fraction, a faint smile crossing his full, swollen lips. "Boy on top?" He asked with that tickling, delightful sensuous humour she had always loved.

She smiled up back up at him. "Yes," she nodded. It was a rule she had imposed from their very first joining, a practice undertaken by most Elite from their days as Recruits onwards, but especially held by female Elite. It had felt important to them, to her, to ensure a male didn't attempt to gain sexual dominance over them, as some non-Elite males often tried. But, that fear had no place with John now.

She wanted his weight on her; something she had never felt with a male before.

His hands sliding up her bare sides, he shifted closer, narrowing the tiny distance between their bodies. "We've never done that before," he said softly, his way of ensuring she was certain. She had shared with him previously the reasons for Elite to impose the rule.

She nodded as she rose up enough to graze her lips against his.

As she pulled her lips from the quick kiss, she drew her head back a fraction to be able to meet his gaze again. "I want no more rules between us," she told him honestly.

He blinked, his tiniest of pauses seeming overly long after her request.

"No more rules," he repeated, his voice deep and somehow wistful, like a promise.

She reached up to his chin, sliding her fingers along the sharp handsome edge of his jaw. "No more holding back," she promised him in turn.

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He felt like he was drugged, aware of nothing but her, and his entire body seemed to beat with each thud of his heart.

Each beat throbbed through him, pulsing achingly through his groin, up his spine, shaking his chest and tunnelling his vision to nothing but her.

His world was her skin and her soft, sexy voice whispering things to him he hadn't even realised he had wanted.

Her hands pulled on him, drawing him downwards, his world angling and dropping so that his bed lay under her. Her knees bumped against his sides and then his arms as she crawled backwards up his mattress, working to give them room, but it was too much space. He set his knees on the mattress, crawling after her.

God, she wanted him on her.

She reached the top of the bed, her smile wide, enticing and sultry as she laid her head on his pillow. She settled one of her arms up over her head, opening up her armpit and lifting her breasts.

She was saying something to him, something important. Something about clothes.

But he just leant down, pressing his nose and mouth into the golden expanse of her skin from her nipples to the little hollow at the base of her throat. He drew in her smell, closing his eyes as he flattened his forearms onto the bed on either side of her, but not lying on her yet.

Her hands were sweeping up his back, setting his skin on fire, only he realised she was pulling up his shirt.

He just focused on her skin, on sliding his mouth down into her cleavage, following the twisting gorgeousness of her tattoos he had counted so long ago. He was going to have to do that again later, make sure she hadn't gotten any new ones.

She tasted of salt, of Athosian incense somehow, and that deep feminine smell that told him she truly wanted him.

Her hands were behind his shoulder-blades now, bunching up his shirt, and then she started pulling it over the back of his head.

He begrudgingly lifted his throbbing head from her chest, giving her the space to pull the shirt off him. In the brief moment while the shirt blocked his view of her, he registered that he was up on his knees and was still wearing his pants. Stupid pants.

And she was still in her Elite pants too.

Stupid clothes all in the way.

As she finally fought his shirt off the top of his head, he heard her giggle. It was a deep sensuous womanly sound.

God, he had missed her.

He wanted to be in her again.

He pushed himself up off his forearms, rising up onto his knees as he grinned down at her giggling smile as she threw his shirt aside.

Oh yeah.

Her legs were either side of him, her legs already open around him.

He reached down to the waistband of her pants, freeing the Alliance clasps with an ease he had forgotten, and he slid his fingers under the waistband and gripped her pants and underwear together to pull them off her.

She made that sultry chuckling sound again, and it went right down into his crotch.

She lifted her backside up from his mattress, and he tugged her last clothes down, down off her hips and down to her thighs, only he paused at the sight of the triangle of reddish dark hair he had missed so much.

He could see her swollen flesh already parting for him.

Could smell her ready for him.

Her legs started moving, and he realised he was still holding her pants in his hands around her lower thighs. He needed to do something with the pants. Take them off her, yes that was it.

But she was already on it, pulling her legs out from the clothes he was holding for her. He watched as her golden legs were revealed out from the pants until her pretty toes pulled free last.

He threw the pants off the bed somewhere and reached for her gorgeous feet, sliding his hands up her shins to her knees. She had her knees together and pulled up against her middle still and he grasped her knees, looking up beyond them to her shining eyes.

Her hands were sliding around his jaw, up into his hair, asking him to lie down over her.

He held her eyes as he gently started pulling her knees apart, making space for him.

She smiled at him, her mouth open and he could see her breathing hard, her breasts moving with each move.

He shifted his hands on her knees as he pushed them up and wider, exposing more of her, but he kept his eyes on her mouth, watched as she pulled her lower lip between her teeth.

He wanted to kiss her, kiss her neck, lick her nipples, bury into her, suck on her ears, whisper words he wanted to share, words he hadn't thought he'd get to say.

But the throbbing and the sweet intense smell of her.

He lowered his gaze from her mouth, over her breasts and belly, down to between her parted legs, her knees shifting in his hands, her hips lifting with need, calling to him.

He leant down, down to where he hadn't been in so long, too long.

He nuzzled into the swollen lips of her and pressed his mouth to her wet, red bare flesh.

She moaned as she undulated against him, sliding herself harder against his mouth.

He slid his hands up the back of her legs, pushing her thighs up and further apart, exposing her more.

Her groans echoed loud around him, his name in her moans pulsing down into his groin and up into his swollen head.

As he slid his tongue flat against her widening slit, her hands tightened hard in his hair, pulling and pushing him equally.

God, he had missed this.

But it felt new somehow. Different. Better than ever before.

He pushed his tongue right up into her, her taste flowing into his mouth and he had no idea how he didn't come.

But she did.

Her cries filled his head, her body twisting in his gasp, her nails against his scalp.

He pulled back from her just enough to lift his head up over her mound to kiss that triangle of trimmed hair, then up to the diagonal line of ink a little higher.

She was still moaning, her hips wiggling on his bed, her hands around the back of his neck now.

He swirled his tongue down into her bellybutton and licked up out of it.

"John," she gasped, her hands pulling around the top of his neck, calling him up her.

But he'd never gotten to do this before, so he took his time, licking up out of her bellybutton and up the middle of her stomach. As he did, he pulled his arms up over her raised legs to reach down to mattress on either side of her, crawling slowly further up the mattress.

He finished his long lick where her ribs started and he started to carefully lower his middle to her belly, pressing her down into the mattress. Her knees bumped against his sides, her hands sliding and then gripping his back, her breathy moans telling him she was more than okay with the new boy-on-top action.

He nuzzled up over her ribs to the underside swell of one of her breasts as one of her hands got down to his backside, her nails digging in hard.

Grinning into her cleavage he slid further up her, now sliding belly to belly, and it was the most arousing thing he'd ever done before.

Up until his aching head met her wet flesh.

Her nails dung harder into his backside, pulling him closer.

He reached down between them, guiding him to her, testing her entrance with his fingers. She was groaning, her fingers digging into his backside and her words begging him to fill her.

He pushed the full head of his erection into her, flesh to flesh.

They'd done it before. She had some Alliance contraceptive implant, and he hadn't been with anyone else, but it felt almost too much.

He squeezed his eyes shut as he withdrew and pushed back into her, teasing her open, asking to go deeper.

One of her hands grazed along his jaw, drawing his chin up.

He lifted up from her throat, sliding his mouth across her cheek to her lips, sinking his tongue into her open panting mouth.

He dug his elbows into the mattress beside her, settling as much of his weight as he could onto her and her legs came up around him, her knees against the back of his arms.

He pulled his hips back a fraction and pushed deeper as her tongue slid around his.

Only he had to pull his mouth from hers as he was finally buried right up into her.

"Yes," she whispered deep and long against him, both her hands on his butt now, holding him in her. "Yessss," she gasped.

He couldn't speak, couldn't say anything as he drew his hips back and pushed back into place, rubbing long slow strokes with each retreat and push back.

"More, John," she gasped against his lips.

He panted against her words, as he moved a little faster, each stroke longer than the last, chasing away all thought.

"More, John," her nails dug harder into him.

He ground harder and faster, pushing their groins harder together with each push.

Her mouth pressed to his cheek, her tongue a wet slide as he groaned loud.

She felt so good, so wet. So tight.

"Teyla," he moaned. "I can't," he heard himself stutter as he ground into her full embrace, keeping his belly and chest against hers. He could feel his orgasm building, and he wanted to hold it back, but he couldn't. Couldn't hold back from her.

"Yes, John," whispered against his cheek, then "Yes, John," right into his ear, one of her hands sliding up around the back of his neck.

He tried to slow down, to prolong it, but it was impossible.

It felt kind of like that final rush when Todd had given him back his life, but so much more. He felt the building bliss rushing down his spine, his body losing all control, the bed creaking loudly under them.

Her fingers were tight around the back of his neck, her hips lifting with each of his strokes, her moans mixing with his as he lifted enough to look down at her, meet her dark luminous eyes.

He came hard, crying out loud and long with it.

Her hands slid up into his hair, her mouth widening as he ground hard into her with his last push, one of his hands somehow under her head through the thin pillow. She tipped her head back into his palm, her mouth wide open and her eyes closing, and he watched as she came, her inner walls flexing hard around him.

He had never seen her like that before, not so lost, so abandoned, and he pushed the last of his weakening erection inside her, eking out the last vestiges of it with her. Prolonging it out as long as he could, and then he couldn't focus on anything more.

Her arms slid around him, her chest against his cheek, her legs around his back, holding him down on her. He felt like every part of him melted over her as he lay, panting on her.

He loved her so much.

His wife.

His Queen.

She chuckled loud against him, the sound deep and gorgeous direct from her chest up through his.

"Did I say all that out loud?" He slurred against her skin.

"Yes, you did," she answered him, her fingers raking through his hair.

He chuckled weakly against her chest, every part of him limp.

"I love you too, John," she said against his forehead. "I am sorry if I have not shown it before."

He smiled happily as she pressed her lips to the space above his nose, her arms and legs tightening around him.

Oh yeah.

She pressed another little kiss to his forehead, then another to his eyebrow, her fingers now sliding long smooth strokes through his hair and across his shoulders.

"I'm not too heavy?" He managed to ask coherently, the world starting to grow fuzzy. He'd move before he fell asleep, but he felt just too good right now...

"No," she said in her soft voice against his forehead. "You feel wonderful."

Her fingers slid over his cheek. "Okay," whispered against her skin as his eyes drifted shut. "I'll just stay here a bit."

He heard her chuckle again, then felt her shift a little and the light against the outside of his eyelids dropped into darkness and a new warmth arrived across his back, probably his blankets.

He should probably move.

Her hands slid a long smooth path up his back, up his neck and down again.

"I've really missed you," he whispered into his sleepy space.

He felt her lips against his temple, her arms settling across the back of his shoulders.

"And I you. Sleep, my love," she whispered temptingly. "I will be here when you wake up."

He sighed happily and surrendered to her suggestion, feeling the drawing pull of sleep.

This was the best end to the worst day.

And if he had to live through it all again just to be here, he would.

Here, with his Teyla.

His Queen.

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And to finish...


	43. Epilogue - The Whisperers

**Part** : 43/43

 **Note:** And the second, and final, chapter of this evening... Thank you to everyone for reading this fic and sticking with this Alliance saga. I am very grateful for being able to share this story...and more to come. Please let me know what you think of the final part of this fic – just remember, no shouting at me :)

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 **Chapter 43 - Epilogue – The Whisperers**

The dark night sky stretched high above Mind Song and, across it, the glorious sight of the many thousands of tiny pinpoints of light.

He'd found a gentle incline at the edge of the open space near the Portal and had remained here since Sheppard had left, lying on the living soft grass and watching the stars sparkle above him while he waited.

The air was a little too cool for his liking, but he didn't move further into the protective reach of the forest starting just behind his head. No, lying out here, even in the chilled air, was too bracing too shy away from.

He had never truly believed he would have this chance again, to be free. To feel unchained and himself once more.

And he had a Human to thank for it.

He chuckled up at the vast sky, running his eyes from one constellation to another.

Sheppard.

An interesting name considering the Human had led him to his freedom and guided the decisions of the rest of his kind.

Human and Wraith cooperating.

Only a day ago Mind Song would have discarded such a bizarre thought, but now...

Now he had seen things that had educated him on the new galaxy into which he had been released.

Sheppard's Queen had said much had changed, and clearly she was correct. How deeply it had affected the Hives was something he would need to discover.

Had the feeding grounds been reduced even further? How many Hives had been lost, how many Queens killed by the Armoured Herd?

He suspected he could predict much of what had happened between the Hives; some would have destroyed one another over the reducing feeding ground, and others would have tried to cooperate with each other. But, with the Armoured Herd's ever increasing territory, no doubt those alliances would have been stressed, fractured, and even entirely destroyed by battle.

Was he going to find that it was his own kind who were now on the losing side of the war for territory?

Of course he would have significant insight soon, but he suspected that they were going to have to act quickly to regain some holding and work on a plan moving forward. For the days of domination over the Human prey were clearly at an end, and now was a time that called for consolidation and defence. Many Wraith would object, preferring the fight over cooperation, but Mind Song would need to find a way to control that.

If there were enough Queens left perhaps...

He heard the subtle buzz of another fighter somewhere in the far distance.

He rolled his head against the grass to look off in its direction, spotting the faintest glimmer of moonlight across the fighter's hull. He gently rose into the network, subtly sensing the Wraith mind behind the fighter's control and then withdrew his thoughts. A routine patrol.

He returned his attention to the stars and his consideration of the reality of this new galaxy around him.

The Armoured Herd were no longer the only threat to consider either, for Sheppard's people had to be included as well now. Descendants of the old Lanteans themselves, he had no idea how many of them there were and what further technology they had back in their home galaxy. Perhaps they were even intending to bring far more of their number into this galaxy?

But, in them at least, he had found something new.

Sheppard had kept his word in releasing him. Honour from a Human.

And he had spoken about peace.

The concept was so alien to Mind Song that he'd instinctively dismissed it when Sheppard had suggested it.

Yet now he set his mind to the thought.

If the feeding therapy Sheppard's kind suggested was truly possible, if there was no longer the need to feed... A galaxy where there was no more fighting over feeding grounds, where Hives lived in peace with each other as well as with Humans...

What would that be like? A life uncaring of seeking life-force to survive.

What would he choose to do if that happened?

Would he still be Wraith?

His kind did not change. In the long millennia that he'd lived, he had never seen anything truly change outside that of territories and alliances. Even their technology had remained unchanged since the days of the old Lanteans, while the Humans had built and developed their own technology in frightening speed of late.

And behind the technology of ships, weapons, and new defences, the Humans were breeding in vast numbers. Kolya's planet had been amassed with life, and he'd spied a crowded space filled with more Humans than he'd ever seen together in his entire lifetime. And that had been one Human settlement on one Human-held planet.

Surely they were soon to outnumber Wraith, if they did not already.

Which made him worry.

For it had been numbers more than anything that had allowed the defeat of the old Lanteans. As they had started to defend the small Human populations, the Queens had gathered and agreed to join Hives to force the Lanteans back to their City.

Without the accelerated cloning facility, those numbers might not have been enough to defeat the Lanteans.

So, were the Humans now the ones with superior numbers?

Were they about to crush the Wraith, as his kind had done of the old Lanteans?

The reality of that possibility worried Mind Song.

Fighting back did not appear to be working for the Hives, and with Sheppard's kind now here as well, the advantage had perhaps indeed swung over to the Humans.

But, peace...

Could that be the way to survive?

The idea seemed absurd, but Sheppard's people had suggested a possible route with the feeding therapy.

Was such an adaption beyond the Wraith?

And even if it was possible, how would the Hives ever agree to it?

It was far more likely that they would rage against the mere suggestion and fight onwards until their end.

Just like the old Lanteans.

But, if he was to save-

He felt the sudden arrival within the network, felt the bright, alert mind reaching towards his own.

Mind Song sat up from the grass, looking up towards the dark sky for a hint of the new hull he had been waiting to see.

Moving out from the protection of the trees, he turned, stretching out his mind further, leading the way towards him.

The time of waiting was over, and, finally, it was time to regain his place.

A faint fleck moved across the shiny moon above, and Mind Song grinned up at the growing dot as the fighter headed down through the atmosphere.

Freedom was wondrous and this only made it all the sweeter.

This way he truly believed anything could be possible.

The fighter started a long slow curve as it headed down towards the Portal. Mind Song walked further out into the open space, lifting his arms up, and immediately the fighter's nose turned towards him.

Chuckling with delight, Mind Song moved a little further back towards the trees as the fighter arrived overhead and started lowering down to the ground.

Mind Song held his arms wide in bursting joy as the fighter settled onto the grass and the canopy dissipated to finally reveal Long Sleep inside.

"Brother!" Long Sleep grinned back as he swung himself up and out of the canopy in a strong swing that told Mind Song how well fed his batch brother was.

Mind Song laughed as he approached and wrapped his arms around his long lost brother. "It has been too long."

Long Sleep's embrace was tight, and his clothes smelt of smoke and dirt, but he throbbed with life and his mind was so refreshingly alive and fast against his.

"I had thought you lost forever," Long Sleep said as he pulled back from their embrace.

"Much has happened, Long Sleep," Mind Song told him. "But I have learnt a great deal about the threats to the Hives, to our future."

Only Long Sleep's mind shifted into darker shades of worry in an instant. "You know of the Skerti?" He asked quickly.

Mind Song froze, his hands on his brother's shoulders. "What?"

"They are no myth, Mind Song," Long Sleep stated, his expression pained and his mind reached forward, sharing images and thoughts of fear and an alien mind so aggressively oppressive that Mind Song tightened his grip protectively on his brother.

"They are real," Long Sleep almost whispered, as if the alien legends could perhaps hear him. "And we are all in danger."

Mind Song nodded his understanding and immediate belief in his brother's assessment. There was no one Mind Song trusted more than his batch brother. Though they had been apart for too long, the truth of his kin was unchanged and was a knowable island of trust in the changed galaxy.

"Another threat we must face then," he considered out loud.

Long Sleep nodded, but his fear shifted quickly back into pleasure against Mind Song's mind. "But one we now face _together_."

Mind Song smiled back at him. "Yes, _together_ we will find a way to save our kin, against Armoured Herd, Atlantis, and Skerti."

00000

The grass was soft under Oneakka's bare feet where he sat cross-legged on the training field, the new day's sun shining bright across the green expanse around him. He could vividly recall the smell of this grass as it rose up from under him, could remember running across it with complete happy oblivion when he'd been small.

The air smelt sweet with the scent of the grass, of the flowers bending softly in the gentle warm breeze as his family surrounded him with their loving warm laughter.

Little Pema was leant against his back, her arms wrapped around his shoulders as she sang an old rhyme that had been her favourite. It echoed right into his ear as she sang it round and round again, bringing back ancient memories of sitting up late with her by the ash-filled fire, Mother and Father fast asleep in the next room.

Her little soft cheek bounced against his as she danced along with the song, the words drifting from his lips as if he had sung them with her only yesterday.

Around him, Zopi and Huan were laughing as they ran chasing circles around the family, Mother and Father towering above them all, Mother's gentle laughter like music accompanying Pema's singing.

By Oneakka's right knee, Arthit and Klahan were patting their palms together in a game, their sparkling grins bright in the clear sunshine. Behind them, Minoru and Suko, his eldest siblings, were showing him the latest wrestling moves they had learnt, Minoru abruptly demonstrating her favourite take-down on Suko without him realising and Oneakka grinned as his brother hit the grass with giggling complaint.

And at Oneakka's other knee, Aimi was picking the little flowers growing among the grass and laying them across his knee in a pretty pattern.

It all filled his soul with bursting, glowing happiness.

He was mesmerised by them, their joy, their giggling delight, and the glowing Ugun sun shining over them all. Sat at Mother and Father's feet, like he'd done as a little boy, he simply watched his family, looking from one to the other, grinning at the racing laughter and joy, nodding to Minoru' wrestling technique demonstrations, and all the while singing along with Pema's rhyme.

Though, as he sang, he could swear that he could almost hear other voices in the distance, but it was probably just the soft rustling of the tall grasses at the edge of the field.

The warm loving weight of a hand settled on the top of his head and he tipped his head back to look up at Mother smiling down at him. She bent down and he closed his eyes as she pressed a kiss to his hair. As she pulled back up, the sunlight created bright swirling brilliance around her and he could see some of the grass flowers woven into her braids.

She whispered something to him.

He frowned at her face, realising her lips weren't moving.

Who was whispering?

He glanced around the family, but the sounds of them were all clear and bright.

So, he looked back up to Mother, only he noticed something tiny up in the sky high above her. A tiny dark dot moving through the perfect blue sky.

Mother stroked his hair and he returned his gaze to her long lost face again.

He frowned at that thought though. How could she be lost, she was right here.

A soft whisper brushed close to his ear, but it wasn't Pema's rhyme. He glanced off to the left, seeking out who was whispering to him. Perhaps Aimi wanted something, but she was still focused on arranging her flowers on his leg.

His eyes shifted over to the tall grasses waving gently in the warm breeze. The same grasses behind which he'd arrived, hiding from the older children as he'd watched the wrestling practice.

He had the strange niggling sensation that he'd left something there beyond the tall swaying reeds.

Perhaps there was someone there, their whispers calling to him.

Focusing a little more intently, he was almost certain the soft whispers were a male voice.

Almost recognisable.

Pema's rhyme suddenly ended and he quickly shifted his attention back to her, tightening his hands on her little arms around him. She pressed a kiss to his cheek and then giggled happily as she pulled away from his back and skipped away to join Zopi and Huan's chasing game.

His back felt cool without her there.

He lifted his head again, looking for that dark dot in the sky.

It was larger now, almost a recognisable shape.

A cloud was starting to trail across the blue above him, partially sliding over the sun, sending a long cooler shadow across the field.

The breeze lifted as he watched the shadows sliding past the waving grasses and, on the moving air, the whispering had returned, just audible.

A male voice, he was almost certain now.

A name tried to form, but the sound was too soft, too distant.

Maybe he should go look behind the grasses, check everything was alright.

He used to do that, hadn't he? Make sure things were safe from the monsters?

Or had that just been a game he had played with Huan and Zopi? Under the reading trees, pretending to fight Wraith and defend the galaxy.

Mother's hand stroked against his hair again and he happily pulled his eyes from the grasses back up to her.

But there was more whispering, distracting him from her now the sky was in view again. His eyes found the dark shape moving high above.

Was there whispering from up there too?

Was it a threat?

Something dangerous?

Mother stepped away, providing him with a full view of the sky, the clouds sliding across it and, among them, the dark dot had grown closer.

Its true shape revealed against the clouds.

A bird, its wings spread wide as it slid through the rolling air currents high above him.

He let out a breath of relief. Just a bird.

Except, the air stirred, a soft female voice whispering to him.

He glanced away to Mother, to his sisters, but none of them were talking to him. They were instead laughing, talking with each other, Mother now singing Pema's rhyme with her. None of them seemed to see the bird or hear the grasses whispering louder.

He looked round to find Father, see if he was worried as well. Only, Father was suddenly right next to him, settling down on the grass beside him. Aimi, seeing Father, rose up from beside Oneakka's knee and reached across to Father. Father slid his hands under her small raised arms and lifted her up and over to him, which sent some of her picked flowers cascading down over Oneakka's lap.

He focused down on the flowers lying over one of his hands, the soft petals releasing an oddly familiar feminine fragrance. Not from Ugun though; they smelt of another female.

He looked back up to the sky, the bird now lower, circling around above the field.

He looked back to Father. "I think that bird is whispering to me," he confessed. Perhaps Ugun birds had used to do that?

"Yes, she is," Father smiled though as he set Aimi aside, the young girl skipping off to join the others.

Oneakka frowned at his father, confused as the rustling of the grasses rose louder, almost concealing the singing and laughter around him.

He looked back round towards the swaying reeds, looking for the voice.

He knew who it was.

He was important somehow.

But Oneakka couldn't remember his name.

As he watched the wind push more roughly at the reeds, the voice rose louder, the words almost clear.

Calling to him.

The loud call of the bird above suddenly rang out through the growing wind, pushing at him, rustling his hair and niggling at the back of his neck.

"You need to remember this, my son," Father said calmly from Oneakka's side.

Oneakka looked round at him, confused. Why was there so much noise? Why should he know the voices?

"There is no need to be afraid," Father smiled, his warm hand on Oneakka's shoulder.

The wind rushed louder, drawing Aimi' flowers up into the air, dancing them through the space around Oneakka as the memories started to form of a life beyond this place.

A promise made.

The crunch of sand on a beautiful beach now free of culling.

A meal shared in the warm companionship of friends.

The warm snout of a goat.

The deep support and comfort of a bed after a long day.

Purpose fulfilled.

The giggle of a baby boy free of the curse of his mother, and the long scars on dark skin cradling the boy with love thought impossible.

The brush of a kiss on his cheek by a lover leaving him.

A tapestry of his name, filled with devotion and promise.

Worlds turning among the stars, free to grow.

A brother from another world, safe at last.

And the long, dark hair of a raven whispering his name.

He rose up towards the memories, following the whispers up through the flowers, up from the field, up through the air of Ugun, feeling Mother and Father's hands pushing at his back.

And then darkness.

Voices.

The whispering close to him now.

And growing louder.

He forced his eyes open, the world feeling heavy and dull, and so less vibrant than the grassy happy field, but it felt real.

It felt sharp and undeniable.

He blinked his eyes a little clearer, the flat white ceiling above him taking shape.

Then, sliding into that view, two familiar and smiling faces.

Halling and Raven.

He felt warm touches to his face, heard words being said, bleeping and the sound of more people growing closer.

And the discomfort grew among it, painful and deep, but he kept his eyes on the two smiling down at him.

His anchors in the chaos of noise and pain.

His whisperers.

00000  
END


End file.
